BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that university student union elections have never had any influence on national elections. He made the remarks on Friday morning while responding to journalists’ questions at his residence.

Commenting on the recent success of Islami Chhatra Shibir in campus student body elections, Mirza Fakhrul said the issue requires careful and in-depth analysis. He noted that during the previous authoritarian government, other student organisations were largely prevented from operating in universities. In particular, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal was not allowed to enter campuses and was effectively pushed out. As a result, Chhatra Dal and other groups were unable to carry out regular organisational activities within universities.

Emphasising his point, Mirza Fakhrul said university student elections have never shaped the outcome of national polls and expressed hope that this pattern would remain unchanged in the future as well.

The BNP leader also voiced dissatisfaction with the current law and order situation in the country. While people across the nation are waiting for elections, he said he is unhappy with the prevailing circumstances. Referring to the killing of political figures, he said several leaders from his party have been murdered. Although strong condemnation has been expressed, he claimed no effective action has been taken by the authorities so far. He urged the government to act more responsibly and take concrete steps to prevent such incidents.

Speaking about BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s scheduled visit to Thakurgaon on January 12, Mirza Fakhrul said that when Tarique Rahman returned to the country, millions of party leaders, activists, and ordinary citizens gathered in Dhaka to welcome him. He added that visits to different districts naturally inspire and energise local party workers even more.

Responding to a question about BNP supporters campaigning on Facebook in favour of voting “no” in the referendum, Mirza Fakhrul said such activity can be seen on social media, but it does not reflect the party’s official stance. He explained that BNP had originally demanded that the referendum and national parliamentary election be held on the same day, which has now happened. He added that the reform agenda being put to a referendum was first presented by BNP itself through its 31-point proposals in 2016 and again in 2023. According to him, reform is deeply embedded in the party’s ideology and is an ongoing process, leaving no reason to oppose it.