Banning Political Parties by Executive Order Is a Dangerous Practice: Salahuddin

Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, has warned that banning any political party through an executive order is a dangerous precedent. He stated that if someone, driven by political malice or the greed for a few extra seats, seeks proportional representation (PR) at the expense of national interest, it could have severe consequences for the country.

He made these remarks while speaking with journalists at his residence in Gulshan on Tuesday (16 September) regarding contemporary political issues.

Salahuddin said: “Those announcing protest programmes are primarily demanding the implementation of the July Charter, which is already under discussion. The public will judge how justified the protests are, and the response on the ground will be given accordingly.”

He also emphasised that the BNP stands against proportional representation in all situations, whether in upper or lower levels. He added: “Political parties should present their manifesto to the people and implement policies based on the mandate, not seek to ban opponents through executive orders. Any such ban must be decided through judicial procedures, not unilateral executive action.”

Salahuddin cautioned: “If a political party is banned by executive order, then 28 parties associated with authoritarianism should also be banned. In that case, who will contest elections? This could be exploited as a pretext to ban more parties for extra advantage, which would undermine national unity. Opportunistic forces could take advantage, and if the formation of a stable government is obstructed, national and regional security would be at risk.”

Summary Table: Key Points

Salahuddin’s statement highlights the BNP’s concern over political manipulation and stresses the need for legal and democratic processes rather than unilateral executive action to regulate political participation.