BNM threatens to pull out of the race

Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM) chairman Shah Muhammad Abu Zafar has said they have joined the polls on the assurance of the upcoming parliamentary election going to be fair and impartial.

If they see the election is not being fair and impartial or polls atmosphere does not exist, then the BNM will stay out of the election, he said

The BNM chief made the remarks while exchanging views with journalists after an extending meeting of the party in Banmaladia of Madhukhali, Faridpur on Saturday.

Shah Muhammad Abu Zafar is contesting the next election from Faridpur-1 (Alfadanga, Boalmari, and Madhukhali upazilas) constituency. He represented this constituency in parliament for several times.

Lastly, he became the lawmaker form the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) from this seat wining the by-election in 2005. He was a central committee member of BNP, but quit the party on 20 November and become the acting chairman of the newly founded BNM, which is dubbed as King’s Party.

Shah Muhammad Abu Zafar also exchanged views with people at his residence in Boalmari on Friday night.

Addressing the event, he said, “I have been given the assurance that elections will be neutral. People can vote anyone they choose. So, I took the charge of BNM and joined the polls. I also saw such atmosphere on field. People’s fear has gone.”

Replying to query, Shah Muhammad Abu Zafar said 85 per cent of people from BNP are with him and they are campaigning from him.

Regarding the remarks of BNM chief, BNP’s upazila unit general secretary Serajul Islam said the 85 per cent figure that Shah Muhammad Abu Zafar mentioned is not correct. However, it is true and portion of BNP leaders and activists are working for the BNM candidate, he added.