A joint press conference of the 8 agitating parties was held at the Al-Falah Auditorium in the capital’s Moghbazar on Friday (November 14, 2025) at 10:30 am. The press conference was organized to highlight the position of the 8 parties in light of the speech given to the nation by the Chief Advisor on November 13. The conference was addressed by the Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and former MP Dr. Syed Abdullah Md. Taher on behalf of the 8 parties.
Dr. Taher said that despite repeated changes in government and rulers in the 54 years of independence, the people have not been freed from exploitation. He highlighted the failure of the leadership as the biggest sad reality of the country. He said that after the July Revolution, the people dreamed of a stable governance system, good governance, protection of human rights, a corruption-free Bangladesh and a free and fair election with the direct participation of the people.
He mentioned that the interim government started its journey with three basic promises—implementation of reforms, trial of those responsible for the genocide, and free and fair elections. But he alleged that the people’s expectations have been thwarted by bringing about changes in the interests of a particular party instead of accepting the recommendations of the Reform Commission based on the consensus of 31 parties.
Dr. Taher said that a single yes-no vote was the clearest path for the nation as per the Reform Commission’s recommendations. But the government’s decision to hold a referendum in four parts will confuse voters and complicate decision-making. He described the decision to hold a referendum and national elections on the same day as a ‘trap to trivialize reforms’.
He claimed that some government advisers were misleading the chief adviser with false information and working to protect the interests of a particular party. He also saw the influence of a specific party in the announcement of the Election Commission’s roadmap and administrative changes, which no longer kept the government neutral.
Dr. Taher raised three demands of the 8 parties to ensure fair elections. Taher—Organizing the referendum and elections on separate days, removing the three advisors who misled the government, and appointing honest and impartial officials in the administration.
He said that although the protest program in Dhaka announced on Friday has been replaced by this press conference, the protests outside Dhaka are going on as usual and will continue until the afternoon.
