‘BNP won’t join general polls under current govt’

BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan today said that his party will not take part in the upcoming general elections if it is held under supervision of the current government.

“We won’t take part in a farcical election like the city polls in the name of national election under the current government,” Khan, also a standing committee member of BNP, said while addressing a programme in Dhaka this afternoon.

BNP wants to join the next general elections so that people can bring a change in power through exercising their right to vote freely, the BNP leader also said.

Jatiya Ganotantrik Party (Jagpa), one of the components of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, organised the programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) demanding BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s release.

“We must go for a strong movement if our party Chief Khaleda Zia is not released through legal battle,” the BNP leader warned. 

Reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) and deployment of army during the next national elections are very imperative for holding the polls in free and fair manner, he said.

Khan came down heavily on Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu for his comment that BNP-Jamaat must be eliminated from the country.

“The way he (Inu) has been working, he should be called Zia family criticism affairs minister,” the BNP leader said.

People are getting angry over the government’s wrongdoings and reckless remarks of its ministers against Ziaur Rahman’s family members, he also said.

“People are waiting to bring a change in power through exercising their rights to vote independently,” Khan added.