BNP maintains silence on President-elect Shahabuddin

BNP has remained silent about the newly elected President, Md Shahabuddin, even after a meeting of its standing committee, maintaining the party’s ‘no-comment stance’ on the issue.

“You asked about this issue (presidential election) in the last press briefing. I will answer the same today (Wednesday). We have no comment on this,” BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told reporters.

Speaking at a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, he said their party has no interest in the presidential election. “So, we don’t want to talk about the issue.”

Two other BNP standing committee members Nazrul Islam Khan and Selima Rahaman who were present at the programme were also tight-lipped on the issue.

The press meet was arranged to inform the media about the outcome of a virtual meeting of the BNP standing committee held on Monday.

Awami League on Sunday submitted the papers to the Election Commission (EC) nominating Mohammed Shahabuddin, a retired district judge, a former commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, and a member of the AL Advisory Council, as its presidential candidate.

On Monday, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal announced that ruling party nominee Shahabuddin was elected unopposed. Later, the EC issued a gazette notification declaring Md Shahabuddin the 22nd president-elect of the country.

Musharraf said the country’s people are actively participating in the programmes of BNP as they no longer want to see the current 'failed' regime in power. “People have continued their struggle for a victory braving all repressive acts.”

He alleged that the ruling party is increasingly trying to incite violence by announcing counter programmes on days of the opposition’s scheduled programmes.

“As the opposition parties are not consciously falling into this trap and not responding to the provocation, the ministers and ruling party leaders are making unguarded comments about the ongoing peaceful movement out of frustration,” he observed.

The BNP leader claimed that their party leaders and activists in all unions took to the streets on Saturday last for observing their road march programme.

He said Awami League announced a counter programme the same day in the name of a ‘peace rally’ in all unions, but they failed to hold the programmes in most unions.

Mosharraf said Awami League is only exposing its organizational weakness by announcing counter programmes.