British high commissioner meets Dr Kamal to discuss election

British High Commissioner Alison Blake has met Dr Kamal Hossain, who is heading the Gono Forum as well as the Jatiya Oikya Front alliance of the BNP to the parliamentary polls.

The nearly 45-minute closed-door meeting took place at Dr Kamal’s home on the Bailey Road in Dhaka on Monday afternoon.

The British high commissioner did not speak to the media after the meeting.

They discussed the condition of Bangladesh ahead of the election slated for Dec 30, Dr Kamal said.

“I’ve told her what I said before - how the elections could be fair if the chief of a political party does irregularities while playing the referee’s role and at the same time contests in the election,” he said.

He referred to the ruling Awami League being adamant on holding the polls with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in power following the constitution which he had drafted. 

“Now it’s a one-party state, but it is turning into a one-person state,” he said. 

He also alleged in the meeting that the administration was not working impartially, Dr Kamal said.

“The condition is not yet favourable to elections. Arrests and cases have continued,” the politician said.

“But no matter how bad the election turns out to be, we won’t boycott it,” he added.