‘We are all deceivers, but BNP is as pure as a washed tulsi leaf’: Shishir Monir

Supreme Court lawyer and Jamaat MP candidate Advocate Shishir Monir has dismissed the BNP’s allegations of deception over the consensus commission, saying the charge stems from “political ego, not logic,” and sarcastically remarking that “everyone but BNP is as pure as a washed tulsi leaf.”

“The BNP says we have deceived them. Then what does that mean — me, our party’s representatives, Jamaat, and NCP are all deceivers, while BNP alone is honest?” he made these remarks at a roundtable discussion titled “July Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order 2025: Citizens’ Expectations and the Need for National Unity”held at the Citizen Coalition office on Monday (4 November).

He said, “After months of discussions among 30 political parties, a proposal was finalised. To call that a ‘deception’ is unrealistic and a reflection of political arrogance.”

He further said, “Let BNP read the July Charter five times — where is the deception? What new line has been added? The BNP’s allegation is that the dissenting opinions were not listed in the schedule. So, deception? Then Jamaat’s four dissents were excluded. Was that not deception? The NCP’s one dissent was excluded. Was that not deception? Then what kind of allegation is this?”

He added, “The BNP gave dissenting opinions on 15 points. If those are removed, what reforms remain?

“They did not want a balance of power between the president and the prime minister, nor proportional representation in the upper house, nor a judicial appointments commission. Then what reforms do they actually want? Only a 10-year term limit for the prime minister and a deputy speaker from the opposition? Just two or three issues?”

Concluding his remarks, Shishir Monir said, “I was personally involved in this process, so my words carried emotion. I did not mean to hurt anyone, but used satire to express reality. The BNP’s allegation is political, not logical.”