National Citizens’ Party (NCP) Joint Convener Sarwar Tusher has insisted that the next national election must be held only after fundamental reforms are implemented, not the other way around.
Speaking at a seminar titled “Democratic Transformation: Fundamental Reforms and Elections” at the Jatiya Press Club on Tuesday, Tusher emphasized, “Hold the election whenever you want, but reforms must come first. Without them, the next election won’t just be flawed — it will be worse than any we’ve seen before.”
Organized by the NCP Reform Coordination Committee, the seminar saw Tusher take aim at those demanding quick elections without addressing deeper issues in the system. “Many who chant ‘We want elections’ are not truly in favor of fair elections. They merely see it as a ladder to power,” he said.
Calling the reform agenda a national need, not a partisan one, he argued, “This isn’t just NCP’s issue. This is a national agenda. Without reform, no election can gain legitimacy.”
He criticized constitutional practices that allow sweeping changes based on individual whims, pointing to Article 70, which restricts MPs from voting against party lines. “We must stop this system where one person’s will can reshape the character of the entire state,” he warned.
Referencing political history, Tusher said every party that had a two-thirds majority abused power. “From the establishment of BAKSAL in 1972 to the 14th Amendment in 2004, power has repeatedly been misused,” he said, adding that the political violence of the 2000s and the rise of the 1/11 regime stemmed from such abuse.
He also proposed the introduction of an upper house of parliament to give smaller democratic parties more space. “We support the idea of an upper chamber, but it must be proportionate to people’s votes—not like reserved women’s seats. That’s the only way to include smaller, pro-democracy voices and curb autocratic tendencies.
Other speakers at the event included NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossen, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, and AP Party General Secretary Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad.
