BNP to lose existence if it boycotts polls again: Syed Ashraf

BNP to lose existence if it boycotts polls again: Syed Ashraf

Ruling Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said on Wednesday Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) would cease to exist if it boycotts the next general election the way it boycotted the 5 January election.

Syed Ashraf, also the LGRD and Cooperatives minister, said the next general election would be held under the present constitutional provisions and with the participation of all political parties amidst festivity.

He was addressing a meeting of the workers of 11 number union unit of the AL at the Circuit House in Kishoreganj. AL’s Kishoreganj sadar upazila unit president Ataur Rahman chaired the meeting.

“The next government will also be formed with people’s representatives through a participatory election and if Khaleda Zia [BNP chairperson] would boycott the election as she did in the last time, there will have no existence of BNP in the country,” said Syed Ashraf.

Pointing the finger at BNP’s boycott of the last election, the AL leader said boycotting elections cannot be a part of a democratic system.  “Election is the beginning of a democracy and that is why, AL never believes in boycotting election.”

He claimed prime minister Sheikh Hasina was steering the trend of democracy and development forward in the country. “And democracy and development is her vision,” he added.

Citing example of China’s development, the LGRD minister said China is the second largest economy in the country and is on the track to be the biggest economy in next 20 years in the world.

“However, the two countries have two different types of politics. Though there is autocracy in China, Bangladesh will go ahead with democratic system,” Syed Ashraf added.

Syed Ashraf made no comments about the media reports that he was likely to be stripped off his portfolio and even he did not come face-to-face with newsmen in Kishoreganj.

Source: Prothom Alo