BNP chief Khaleda discusses 'election issues' with India's Sushma Swaraj

Khaleda Zia has spoken about the 'problems' facing the BNP surrounding Bangladesh's next parliamentary election at a meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

The top Indian diplomat has hoped all the political parties would take part in the election after hearing Khaleda’s statement, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam told reporters.

After the around 45-minute meeting at the Sonargaon Hotel from 8pm on Sunday, Fakhrul told the media: “The BNP chairperson has discussed the current state of the country’s politics. She has discussed the next election and the problems involving it."  

“The Indian foreign minister has listened to the problems.”

Sushma Swaraj and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia meet at Dhaka's Sonargaon Hotel on Sunday during the Indian external affairs minister's two-day visit to Bangladesh.

The BNP, which boycotted the 2014 election as it was held under a party government, now demands a ‘polls facilitating’ government during the balloting.

The party says there is no chance of a fair election with Sheikh Hasina staying as prime minister.

The ruling Awami League leaders, however, insist that Hasina will remain prime minister during the polls as per the constitutional provision.

The Election Commission has recently finished its dialogue with the political parties on election scheduled between December 2018 and January 2019.

BNP leaders are not happy with the then Indian government’s role in the 2014 election that the Awami League won after ‘one-sided’ voting.

Fakhrul did not say whether Sushma Swaraj said anything about ‘polls issues’ raised by Khaleda at the meeting.

He said the Indian minister hoped the election would be "inclusive, free, fair and acceptable".

“India is a democratic country. It wants their neighbours to practise democracy and elect governments democratically,” Fakhrul said.

“She (Sushma Swaraj) has also hoped the Election Commission will be able to do its duty,” he added.

Besides Fakhrul, the party’s Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, and members of the BNP chief’s Advisory Council Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed accompanied Khaleda at the meeting.

Fakhrul said the meeting was held at a ‘very friendly’ environment.

“Strengthening the ties between the two countries was also discussed at the meeting,” he said.

They also discussed the Rohingya crisis along with the political issues.

“Khaleda Zia said the crisis must be resolved through their repatriation and ensuring their safety.

“The Indian foreign minister agreed. She said her government wants safe return of the Rohingyas.

“And India has kept pressuring the Myanmar government. As the entire world is pushing Myanmar, India hopes the Rohingyas will be able to return to their homeland safely,” Fakhrul said.

This is Khaleda’s second meeting with Sushma. They met for the first time during Sushma’s visit to Dhaka in May 2014 after taking charge of India’s external affairs ministry.

After Khaleda, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushon Ershad met the top Indian djplomat at the hotel.

The Indian foreign minister joined a dinner hosted by her Bangladeshi counterpart Mahmood Ali later on.