Information Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud on Saturday said BNP has proved that it is against the country's development and progress by opposing Bangladesh joining the BRICS alliance of top emerging economies.

"The way the BNP secretary general has called this auspicious initiative an opportunistic step is highly condemnable, " he said while replying to reporters at his residence on Dewanji Pukur Lane in Chattogram on Saturday afternoon.

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Replying to a question on BNP secretary general's statement in an interview to a television channel on Friday that joining the economic alliance BRICS is not good for us, Hasan said, "Everyone respects the emerging economic forces of 'BRICS', an alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa."

“Not only has Bangladesh expressed its desire to join it, but as an emerging economy, it has urged Bangladesh to join BRICS,” he said.

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“It is a matter of honour and recognition that Bangladesh is now an emerging economy under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. Joining there will be a multi-dimensional advantage for Bangladesh. But Mirza Fakhul doesn't want it,” said Hasan.

Asked how he sees the activism of China, the US and India over the national elections, the information minister said, "The elections will be held in our country, voters will decide who they will vote for. So we don't care about what those involved in geopolitics are doing.”

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Hasan said the election will be held under the Election Commission and no election is held under the government. The government will only facilitate the Election Commission.