Election can be held in Bangladesh under PM Hasina, says former president Badruddoza

Former president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury has thrown his weight behind the idea of a general election organised under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

His party Bikalpadhara Bangladesh has been agitating with the BNP on several issues against the government.

Sunday’s startling comment comes amid the BNP’s blockade that has crippled the country since Jan 5.

Although it is unclear what made him change his view, Badruddoza essentially agreed with another pro-BNP intellectual Emajuddin Ahmed who had said similar thing earlier this month.

The former president also urged Prime Minister Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to hold talks to end the current ‘political crisis’.

He has announced that he will go on a hunger strike if his proposed dialogue did not take place within a week.

Bodruddoza’s party sat out the last general elections with the BNP that claimed there was no alternative to a ‘neutral’ election contested by all parties to solve the political crisis.

But the BNP’s founding secretary general sees no need for a ‘neutral’ government to supervise the polls as demanded by the 20-Party Alliance which Khaleda leads.

“An election can be held under the prime minister but it will have to be neutral,” he said adding that it was a common practice in many countries.

Blockade violence has claimed at least 35 lives and left hundreds of others injured since Khaleda announced it on Jan 5.

On Jan 11, former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Emajuddin also advocated for an election with Hasina in power.

He cited the polls in neighbouring Sri Lanka and India held under similar arrangements.

Badruddoza has urged the bickering parties, which has alternated power since the early ‘90s, to reach an agreement and refrain from mudslinging.

“Please stop badmouthing each other,” he said.

“Those who are making derogatory comments on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and freedom fighter former president Ziaur Rahman (BNP’s founder) are following the wrong path.

“The people don’t want that.”