NCP Leader Warns BNP: Ignore Referendum at Your Own Peril

Speaking as the chief guest at a mass reception and Iftar party in Kaunia, Rangpur, on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, Hossain stated that the public’s support for the current government is contingent on its adherence to the mandate of the constitutional referendum held alongside the February 12 general election. He emphasized that if the government plays "hide and seek" with the people's desire for structural change, the public will not hesitate to withdraw their support from the BNP-led administration.

The NCP leader reminded the audience that the current government derived its legitimacy from the "July Mandate"—the collective will of the people following the 2024 uprising and the subsequent 2026 referendum, which saw a 68% "Yes" vote for constitutional overhauls. Hossain argued that it is the government's moral and political obligation to enact these reforms, including term limits for the Prime Minister and the separation of powers between the judiciary and executive. He warned that any delay or neglect in fulfilling the "July Charter" would be seen as a betrayal of the blood shed by martyrs during the uprising.

Critiquing the BNP's current trajectory, Hossain alleged that the party has failed to clarify its stance on the prosecution of the July massacres. He further accused local BNP leaders of engaging in extortion and violence in the aftermath of their landslide electoral victory. While acknowledging that his party had previously worked alongside the BNP to restore democracy, Hossain claimed that the BNP's recent actions suggest they are deviating from the expectations of the masses. The event, chaired by Kaunia Upazila Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Abdus Salam Sarkar, highlighted the growing friction between the ruling BNP and its former allies in the Jamaat-NCP coalition, who now form the primary opposition in the 13th Parliament.