BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that the referendum should be held on the day of the national election.

“The referendum must take place on election day. Do we even understand what a referendum is? The people don’t understand it. We are ready for all kinds of reforms,” Fakhrul said.

He made the remarks on Sunday at a views-exchange meeting organized by the Jagannathpur Union unit of the BNP at the Daulatpur Girls’ High School grounds.

Fakhrul said, “All the crises you see in the country are fabricated and staged. People don’t understand such dramas; they only want to vote. The people want to cast their votes freely — for whomever they choose. This government is not elected by the people and does not understand their suffering. When the BNP returns to power, farmers will be ensured fair prices for their crops, and a family card system will be introduced.”

Referring to the upcoming election, he said, “You all know the ‘scales’ symbol — even the scales are contesting this election. You must choose between the paddy sheaf and the scales. This is my last election; I may not have the strength to contest again. In this final election, I urge you to vote for the paddy sheaf and stand by me.”

District BNP General Secretary Poigam Ali, Finance Secretary Shariful Islam, Sadar BNP President Abdul Hamid, and other local leaders and activists were present at the event.