BNP tells US pre-election assessment mission no environment for election

BNP has told the US pre-election assessment mission that there is no environment to hold a fair election in the country.

BNP leaders, who attended the meeting with the US pre-election assessment mission, told Prothom Alo that they told the US delegation that there is no environment for a fair election and they placed arguments in support of this statement.

The US pre-election assessment mission held a meeting with BNP leaders including party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office on Monday morning.

After the meeting, the US pre-election assessment mission didn't brief newsmen.

BNP leaders said they highlighted the current political situation including their demands--the resignation of the current government and holding the election under a non-party government.

While talking to newsmen after the meeting, BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the election in Bangladesh is not only controversial  in the country but also all over the world. As the people want a neutral, participatory and credible election, the entire world wants a credible election.

Earlier, the European Union delegation came and they talked to all. Later they decided that they would not send election observers as there is no environment for a fair election.

Amir Khasru Mahmud said the US observation team has come. They will assess whether there is any fair environment for holding a fair election.

When asked what the US pre-election mission wanted to know, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said one question repeatedly came up -- whether the election will be fair, participatory and of international standard, and what is necessary to hold a fair election?

The BNP leader said a fair election is not possible under Sheikh Hasina. They have undertaken a project to rig votes. To get prevent this the election that will be held under Sheikh Hasina, has to be cancelled.

When asked what was actually discussed in the meeting, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the developed democratic countries have been talking about credible, inclusive, impartial elections of international standard. Their statement in this regard and the demand for a caretaker government are the same. A credible election is not possible without a caretaker government.

The BNP leader said the democratic world is not only talking about a fair election, they are taking action. They are imposing sanctions, applying the visa policy and giving messages regularly.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir led the BNP delegation at the meeting with the US pre-election assessment mission.

BNP standing committee members Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, BNP chairperson's advisory council member Mohammad Ismail Jabiullah, BNP organising secretary Shama Obaid and BNP human rights affairs secretary Asaduzzaman Asad.