BNP won’t join next polls on foreigners’ advice: Mosharraf

BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Saturday said their party’s participation in the next general election will depend on people’s decision, not on the advice of foreigners.

"Our Foreign Minister has requested the US to bring BNP to polls. We think the election will be held in Bangladesh and people here will suggest whether BNP will go to the polls or not,” he said.

Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, said their party will go to the polls only when people gain confidence that there will be a fair and neutral election in the country and they will be able to vote with their own hands, not through machines. “But we won’t join the polls on the advice of foreigners.”

He came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after placing wreaths at BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s grave together with the members of the newly formed committee of Sylhet district BNP, reports UNB.

The BNP leader said there has never been a fair election under the government, nor will there be in the future.

He said it is not possible to overcome the country’s political problems by seeking America’s favour for ensuring BNP’s participation in the election. “Resignation of the government and holding the election under a non-partisan government is the only way to get a solution. “

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen recently briefed his US counterpart Antony Blinken about Bangladesh’s “transparent and independent” election commission apparently suggesting him to encourage BNP to take part in the election process.

“Bring them (BNP) to the election process to follow the rules and procedures of the country,” he told Blinken during their bilateral meeting at the US Department of State.

Mosharraf criticised the foreign minister for what he said tarnishing the country’s image by currying favour with the USA. “The foreign minister played a subservient role in the USA. He even belittled himself by saying that America gave him shelter when he had no place to stay and eat. ”

He said the Foreign Minister’s statements during a bilateral meeting with Blinken have exposed how weak the government has become.

The BNP leader said the country is now grappling with so many problems, including widespread corruption, extortion, enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings, and repression and soaring prices of essential items, as there is no democracy and people’s voting and other rights. “The autocratic government has failed to solve all these problems.”