BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has cautioned that efforts are underway to rehabilitate a defeated and fugitive autocrat under the cover of a national referendum. Speaking at a discussion marking National Revolution and Solidarity Day in Dhaka, he alleged that some political parties are obstructing the upcoming national election by imposing conditions, thereby enabling the return of authoritarian forces. Rahman urged anti-fascist groups to face the people in February instead of creating confusion. He also criticized the interim government for neglecting road safety and failing to ensure fair prices for potato farmers, who face losses of around Tk 3,000 crore. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the current political crisis is artificial and deliberately created to hinder democratic transition. Other opposition leaders expressed solidarity with BNP’s reform agenda.