What BNP tells EU delegation

BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdury has said the international community keeps an eye on Bangladesh as a fair election is not possible under the current government.

Amir Khasru made the comment following a meeting of BNP leaders with the visiting election exploratory mission of the European Union on Saturday. He said BNP explained its stance on the next general elections and demands during the meeting.

BNP leaders met the 6-member EU delegation at the party chairperson’s office at Gulshan. The meeting started at 9:00am and continued for around an hour.

Replying to a question of a journalist about dialogue, Amir Khasru said no democratic environment prevails in Bangladesh; human rights, freedom of press and security of people’s lives are under question. Having a democratic environment is a prerequisite for holding any kind of dialogue which is absent in the country.

A democratic environment has to be created first and then comes the question of any dialogue, he added.

Other than Amir Khasru, BNP’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, international affairs committee’s members Shama Obaid and Asaduzzaman and former secretary Ismail Jobiullah, among others, were present during the meeting with the EU delegation.

Briefing the journalists following the meeting, Amir Khasru said the question is why the international community has been focusing so much on Bangladesh’s election. Why does the EU need to come here and have its opinion on the election? The EU doesn't have to go to other countries of South Asia but what makes it necessary for the organisation to come to Bangladesh?

"The whole world is keeping an eye on Bangladesh as elections under the current government is not acceptable,” he added.

The BNP leader also said the EU has expressed its concern over the next general election. The EU wants to know whether holding an election where people can exercise their franchise is possible at all.

“We have been maintaining that it is not possible to join the polls under this government. There are many reasons. The main reason is there would be no election under them. Vote rigging has already begun," Amir Khasru noted.

He also pointed out, "Look at the postings of DCs and police, arrest of BNP leaders has been going on, BNP’s rallies are being obstructed and an attack was carried out on the march yesterday. These have been going on.”

Amir Khasru said BNP leaders-activists are being prosecuted hastily so that they cannot take part in the election. The ruling party is doing these sorts of activities every day to steal the vote of the people as they want to come to power again by holding another controlled election.

He said these issues featured today’s discussion.

Replying to another question, Amir Khasur said it is up to the EU if it will send election observers but first an election has to be held. The question of whether observers will come only arises when any election is held. People of Bangladesh and democratic world don’t believe the previous governments were elected by vote.

He said it is as clear as daylight that the international community questions the credibility of last elections and that is why they are coming here while they don’t go anywhere such as in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India.

Asked how BNP sees the recent visit of a US delegation led by state department under secretary Uzra Zeya, Amir Khasru said, “Why this visit is the question. Why all are coming to Bangladesh? They start their speech with one thing that they want to see a fair, acceptable and participatory election here. From that, you can deduce what they think about Bangladesh and what they want. Can anything more be said in diplomatic language?