BNP says Hasina ‘cannot run’ Bangladesh with ‘arrogance’

The BNP has termed ‘arrogant’ Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s comments that the party will have to apologise to the nation before contesting in the next parliamentary elections.

Hours after Hasina’s comments on the next election at a Ganabhaban news briefing on Thursday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said she ‘will not be able to rule the country with such arrogance’.

The government will be ‘forced’ to bring all the partyies into the election finally, Mirza Fakhrul says.

Speaking to reporters at the party’s Naya Paltan offices, the BNP leader said, “Taking part or boycotting an election is a political party’s right. It’s not someone’s inherited property.”

“Given the current circumstances in Bangladesh, there is no question of BNP taking part in the election after offering an apology.

“Rather those in the government now will be compelled to take steps so that all the political parties take part in the election. It’s not only the BNP’s position. The people want it,” he added.

At the Ganabhaban briefing, Hasina ruled out snap polls and talks with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to bring her party to the next election.

The prime minister recalled Khaleda’s refusal to talks before the 2014 general elections.

Mirza Fakhrul said the journalists’ questions at the Ganabhaban media briefing ‘made it clear’ that holding the next election under a non-partisan government is the ‘biggest crisis’ facing the country now.

“The country cannot be run or taken forward, democracy cannot be institutionalised with arrogance and audacity,” he said.

He said the BNP wanted ‘transfer of power’ through a peaceful election.

“If the prime minister is a responsible person, she must understand the people’s wish and work accordingly,” he said.

“It’s her duty as prime minister to create a suitable environment for the election,” he added.

The BNP leader also said the people would ‘laugh at’ Hasina’s comments that Khaleda must apologise to the nation when asked by a journalist who referred to Khaleda’s statement in court that she had forgiven her political rival.

“The people will decide who will apologise,” Mirza Fakhrul said.