No proposal made to US to bring BNP to polls: Momen

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said no formal proposal was made to the US to bring the BNP into the election process, although the party's election boycott came up during his recent meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"We want all parties. More or less all parties join the polls. But there is a political party which publicly says they won't take part in the election," he said, adding that if anyone intentionally avoids polls, that indicates they fear the people.

As the issue of the BNP's election boycott came up in his discussion with Blinken, the foreign minister told the US secretary of state that he(Blinken) can look into whether they can make the party join the elections, reports UNB.

"Bring them (BNP) if you can. It was just like that. It was not that we placed any such proposal. We want all parties," Momen told the media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said the BNP must go to people's doors and join elections following the existing laws.

Bangladesh has a "very solid and independent" election commission, and its democracy is very transparent, Momen added. "Every person in Bangladesh believes in democracy; it is (election) a festival here. We want all parties in elections."

"They gave much respect to my whole delegation," Momen said, referring to his meeting with Blinken.

The foreign minister had also visited Japan, Palau and Singapore after wrapping up his US visit. "My whole trip was very positive."