AL urges BNP not to worry about fair polls

January 02, 2018 00:00:00

Awami League (AL) general secretary Obaidul Quader said on Monday BNP has no reason to be worried about the next general election as it will be held in a fair and credible manner, report agencies.

"I'm strongly hopeful that the election will be held at the right time and BNP's fear and uncertainty about it will also be removed. A fair, neutral and inclusive election will be held in a congenial atmosphere," he said.

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, came up with the remarks while talking to reporters at the Secretariat.

He also expressed the hope that a meaningful election will be held with the participation of all registered political parties, including BNP. "The crisis over the polls will be over."

The AL leader also thinks BNP will not make the same mistake again by not joining the 11th parliamentary polls. "They (BNP) are now coming up with big demands as part of their efforts to realise something from the government. But I can confidently say that BNP will come to the next polls for the sake of its existence."

Asked whether the government is going to cooperate with BNP to get permission for its rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on January 5, he said he has heard that Dhaka city Awami League and a religious group or party also want to hold the programme at the same venue same day.

The minister, however, said it's a matter of Dhaka Metropolitan Police authorities whether they will give permission or not.

About Awami League's candidate for by-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation mayoral post, he said his party's nomination board will finalise it.

Quader also said the Prime Minister might have given former BGMEA president Atiqul Islam green signal to assess his popularity.

About sending 1,00,000 Rohingyas back to Myanmar in the first batch of repatriation, he said the everything depends on Myanmar to start the process.

The ruling party general secretary said ice has started melting over the repatriation of Rohingyas who took shelter at Cox's Bazar in the face of persecution.