BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Wednesday said BNP and other democratic parties will join the next general election only under an impartial government.
“Elections in Bangladesh won’t be fair and credible without a non-partisan neutral government and democratic and patriotic parties, including BNP, won’t go to that election,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader also said their party’s stance is clear that it will neither join any election nor any talks under the current government.
Swadhinta Forum, a pro-BNP platform, arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the civil-military ‘uprising on November 7, 1975’.
Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, said the current government will not easily restore the caretaker government system. “That’s why we have to prepare for a movement.”
READ: BNP’s two-day programme marking ‘Nov 7’
He urged all the democratic parties to get united to oust the current government from power.
"Restoring democracy in the country and establishing a pro-people government is now the main challenge to get rid of corruption, misdeeds, enforced disappearance, killing and extortion. A national unity is necessary to overcome this challenge,” the BNP leader said.
He alleged the Awami League has been carrying out a ‘false’ campaign against Ziaur Rahman and the spirit of the civil-military ‘uprising.”
"They (AL leaders) used to say that Ziaur Rahman came to power through a coup and by killing people and soldiers. They’re distorting history to mislead the new generation. But it’s our responsibility to present the facts to people,” the BNP leader said.
He alleged that Awami League has destroyed the spirit of the Liberation War and the November 7 by destroying democracy and people’s voting rights.
Mosharraf said their party joined the 11th parliamentary polls without Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman, but the ruling party could not show courage to hold a fair election. “They rigged votes at night instead of allowing people to exercise their right to franchise at day time.”
READ: Files not missing but concealed, alleges BNP
He said the ruling party leaders do not see BNP’s existence in politics, but they cannot start a day without talking about it.