PM pushes country to the edge

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said that prime minister Sheikh Hasina's stance on the election-time government will only deepen the country's existing political crisis.

"We didn't find any sign in the prime minister's speech for a political negotiation and resolving the current crisis. It's a matter of utter frustration," he said a few hours after the PM addressed the nation, reports UNB.

"We think there's nothing in the prime minister's address to resolve the crisis. Rather, it'll push the country towards another crisis," Fakhrul said while talking to reporters at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office.

Earlier, the prime minister in her address made it clear that the next general election will be held as per the Constitution, and expressed her high optimism that all the parties registered with the Election Commission will take part in the polls for upholding the country's democratic process.

Sheikh Hasina said this while addressing the nation marking the completion of her government's four years in office after the January 5, 2014 national election.

Fakhrul said people had an expectation that the prime minister will come up with some directions for holding a credible and meaningful national election overcoming the current problem. "It's regrettable that she couldn't do it which made the nation disappointed."

He said the county's people want a fair and credible election and they will not accept any unjustified move of the government.

Referring to the PM's statement, the BNP leader said it had only demonstrated that the 11th parliamentary elections will not be held in a fair and acceptable manner.