Dhaka, Aug. 20 -- The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has made clear it will not compromise on the July Charter's disputed proposal concerning the role of the Prime Minister and party chief, with senior leader Salahuddin Ahmed insisting that democratic choice must remain intact.

In a wide-ranging interview with The New Nation at BNP's Gulshan headquarters, the standing committee member and party spokesperson defended his party's position as activists gathered at the office, reviving a political space once muted by years of repression.

At the heart of the dispute is a proposal that would bar a Prime Minister from simultaneously serving as both Leader of the House and party chief. While consensus has emerged that the Prime Minister may...