Haven’t changed our stance on polls under neutral government: Khaleda

The BNP will only participate in the snap general election held under an impartial administration and will not take part in polls conducted by Sheikh Hasina led government, says Khaleda Zia.

“Our position has not changed,” said the BNP chairperson, a week after saying that the polls would not have to be under the caretaker system and that any ‘neutral body’ would be acceptable.
 
She said, “During the programme of Brahmanbaria’s lawyers (on July 25), I had said that we want an election and we want to participate in that election which must be held under a neutral government. This is clear.”
 
“But some newspapers have misinterpreted (my remarks),” she said during an interaction with a group of pro-BNP lawyers at her Gulshan office on Saturday night.
 
“We’ve clearly said that the people won’t get the chance to vote in an election under the Sheikh Hasina government.”
 
“I’m saying again – the BNP will only take part in an election under a neutral government,” she stressed.
 
The government had revoked the caretaker government provision through a constitutional amendment in 2011.
 
The BNP and its allies protested violently against the Amendment and boycotted the 2014 election overseen by the Awami League government. At least 200 people died in the months of protests across Bangladesh.
 
Their boycott, demanding supervision by a caretaker government, had led the Awami League-led coalition to a landslide win.
 
Since then, the BNP has been demanding a snap general election under a 'neutral' body. But the Awami League leaders rejected it outright saying the next election would be held under the current government in 2019.

The BNP chief on Saturday said her party would introduce a ‘new concept’ of politics if it came to power through the next election.

“We want to bring qualitative changes in politics. We need to forget the politics of vengeance. Shaheed Zia’s BNP does not believe in such politic,” said Khaleda.

She also criticised the government for injecting partisanship in the administration, police and government institutions.

“Awami League has no popular support. They rely on police, judiciary and some branches of the administration.”

She said the ruling party was keeping police and administrative officials under pressure with the threat of harassment and telling them that BNP would sack them if it came to power defeating Awami League in the election.

“I want to make this clear – no one will face unjust actions if BNP comes to power. Why anyone would be sacked? We understand that whatever they are doing, they are doing it under the influence of the Awami League. They have been forced,” said the former prime minister.​
 

For details please read the Bangla story