Fakhrul warns that Bangladesh risks becoming a ‘failed state’ if the election is delayed

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned on Tuesday that Bangladesh could become a “failed state” if the national election is not held before mid-February.

He cautioned that the government would have to take full responsibility if it takes any step beyond the political consensus reached over the past nine months and tries to impose such actions on the people.

Fakhrul made the remarks while addressing a public rally at the Borgaon Union school playground in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila.

Earlier in the day, the BNP Standing Committee issued a statement echoing similar concerns, saying the party would not be accountable for any government move taken outside the agreed framework. At a press briefing, BNP leaders also urged the government to “act prudently” in dealing with the demands of political groups seeking to delay the polls.

Fakhrul accused Jamaat-e-Islami of calling for a proportional representation (PR) voting system to create confusion and push back the election schedule.

He said even senior politicians like himself find the PR system difficult to grasp, yet Jamaat and some others are attempting to force it on the public to stall the polls.

According to him, Jamaat fears it would “disappear” from the political scene if the election is held on time under the current system.

Fakhrul also criticised the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP), led by figures from last year’s uprising, for aligning with Jamaat in supporting the PR system. He claimed that NCP lacks a grassroots presence and is therefore seeking relevance by joining forces with Jamaat.

He further urged citizens to remain vigilant against what he described as Jamaat’s “deceptive tactics,” accusing the party of misusing religion and making false promises of “tickets to heaven” to attract voters.