BNP will participate in the coming elections: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has dismissed the possibility of a dialogue regarding the upcoming election and says the BNP will participate in the polls regardless.

The ruling party leader made the remarks on Saturday following statements from BNP leaders that the party would not engage in any elections held under the Hasina administration.

The BNP had boycotted the tenth parliamentary elections after the Awami League refused to hand over power to an impartial interim government.

The BNP has continued to press its demand for an impartial election-time government in the run-up to this year’s eleventh parliamentary election and called for discussions.

Awami League leaders, on the other hand, have said repeatedly that the election would be held, according to the constitution, under a Hasina-led government and that it would not matter if the BNP decided to boycott the polls again.

The divisions between the two parties have only grown more pronounced since BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was imprisoned in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

“The BNP claims they have become stronger since Khaleda has been imprisoned,” Quader told the media at the Feni Circuit House on Saturday.

“So why do they need discussions? The BNP will come to the polls. There is no need for talks.”

The party could compete in the coming elections even if their party chief was still in prison, he said.

The BNP is conducting peaceful protests because it does not have enough support, Quader said.

The minister also dismissed the claim the government was slowing down the transcript in the Khaleda graft case.

“Khaleda Zia’s case verdict is 632 pages long, so a certified copy will obviously take some time. There is no need to make a fuss over it. The lawyers will get a copy of the verdict soon.”