No scope for ‘acceptable polls’ under AL govt: BNP to Canadian envoy

BNP today, Thursday told Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Lilly Nicholls that there is no scope for an “acceptable election” to be held under the ruling Awami League government.

As reported by UNB, the party conveyed the message as the Canadian envoy met BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. 

“We told them there’s no scope for a neutral, acceptable, and credible election to be held in Bangladesh under the current regime,” BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told reporters after the meeting.

He said that they have also informed the Canadian High Commissioner about the current situation in Bangladesh where there is “no democracy, level-playing field, freedom of expression and press freedom” here.

The BNP leader said Canada has been observing Bangladesh intensively like the US as well as other democratic countries.

“They have huge interests in human rights, the rule of law and voting rights, while their moral ground is high,” Khosru said.

He said that Canada has some “concerns” over Bangladesh’s election, human rights and the rule of law. “Like other western democratic countries, Canada has a huge concern over the matter, whether the next election here will be fair, acceptable and inclusive or not.”

The BNP leader added that Canada is also “worried whether the people of Bangladesh will be able to elect their parliament as well as the government by exercising their right to franchise.”

“We had long discussions over these issues. They wanted to know about required measures to hold the next election in a free and fair manner. They also wanted to know the latest political situation,” he said.

The meeting started at the BNP Chairperson's political office in Gulshan around 1:00pm and lasted more than an hour.

Apart from Amir Khosru, BNP organising secretary Shama Obaed and Canadian High Commission official Bradley Coates also attended the meeting.

In a press release, the Canadian High Commission said Lilly Nicholls and BNP leaders discussed the “importance of free, fair, and participatory elections in Bangladesh” among a range of issues.

The High Commissioner said elections are about giving citizens a choice of who to run their government. “Making a choice requires options; we hope that the upcoming election includes a wide range of voices, debate and dialogue. That way, the people of Bangladesh can choose their own future.”