AL seeks foreigners' help, it is proved: Fakhrul

Citing the foreign minister’s request to his US counterpart Antony Blinken for bringing BNP into the polls, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said it is now proved that Awami League goes to the foreigners and seek their help.

Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen held a meeting with the US secretary of state in Washington on Monday, marking the golden jubilee of diplomatic relationship between Bangladesh and the United States.

The foreign minister told the reporters after the meeting that he had sought help from the US for bringing BNP into the next parliamentary polls.

Mirza Fakhrul, while addressing a discussion at the National Press Club on Wednesday, said the foreign minister’s statement has proved that it is Awami League that goes to the foreigners and seek their help.

“Our foreign minister met his US counterpart and requested him to help bring BNP into election for the sake of democracy in Bangladesh. But Obaidul Quader always claims that BNP goes to foreigners for help. It has been proved today that those who go to foreigners are Awami League,” said Fakhrul.

The BNP secretary general also alleged that the ruling party has already started campaigning to hold an election without the opposition.

Slamming the government for the arrest of BNP leader Ishraque Hossain in an old case on Wednesday, Fakhrul said the government initiated the process of sentencing BNP leaders in such old cases across the country in a bid to refrain the party from participating in the upcoming election.

He also criticized the government for its failure in reining in road accidents and blamed road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader for the situation.

The discussion was organised marking the 42nd founding anniversary of the Jatiya Ganotantrik Party (JAGPA).

BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan, joint secretary Moazzem Hossain also spoke at the event while JAGPA president Khandker Lutfar Rahman presided over it.