Dhaka, Aug 13 – BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Monday said BNP will not join any game in the name of general election.
“We’re not a revolutionary party …we’re a democratic party. Our party and alliance want a change in power through an election. But we don’t want to take part in any game in the name of polls,” he said. Nazrul came up with the remark while speaking at a discussion arranged by Desh Bachao, Manush Bachao Andolan at the Jatiya Press Club, demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
He said the government must fulfil their party’s basic demands, including dissolution of parliament, installation of an election-time neutral administration, and the release of political prisoners, to ensure BNP’s participation in the 11th parliamentary polls.
The BNP leader alleged that the government has kept Khaleda unfairly confined to jail as it seriously fears her. “She’s even denied bail in billable cases.”
Nazrul, a BNP standing committee member, urged the government to take immediate steps for freeing Khaleda Zia from jail to create a level playing field and hold the next polls in an acceptable manner.
“A level playing field is a pre-condition to fair balloting…Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina are two potential prime ministerial candidates. If one of them contests the polls staying in power and another stays behind bars, there’ll be no level-playing field,” he observed.
The BNP leader urged the political parties to get united to protect the country and ensure people’s basic rights. “There’s no alternative to waging a united movement to restore democracy and people’s voting rights in the country.” – UNB
