She also says her party won’t participate in any polls under AL regime
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Friday told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that her party is ready for any kind of dialogue with the government to resolve the ongoing political crisis in the country over the next general election.
“The opposition leader told the UN Secretary General that there’s no alterative to talks to overcome the political crisis. BNP is ready for any kind of dialogue or discussion,” BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters.
Hours after his telephone conversion with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also phoned opposition leader Khaleda Zia around 6:45pm and discussed various issues, including the next general election in Bangladesh.
Briefing reporters about the telephone conversation between Khaleda and Ban Ki-moon at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, Fakhrul said the BNP chief also categorically told the UN Secretary General that her party will not participate in the general election if it is held under the Awami League-led regime.
The UN Secretary General told the opposition leader that they want to see a free, fair and credible election in Bangladesh with the participation of all parties in it, the BNP spokesman said.
Ban Ki-moon also said the UN is closely monitoring political situation and development in Bangladesh.
In response, Khaleda said, “There’s no alternative to a non-party caretaker government to hold a free fair and neutral election. A strong Election Commission is also necessary to this end.”
Fakhrul said the UN chief also voiced his concern over the prevailing political situation in Bangladesh.
Ban Ki-moon also mentioned with disappointment that his previous initiative for holding a free and fair election with all political parties did not yield any positive outcome.
Opposition leader’s private secretary Saleh Ahmed, assistant private secretary M Suratuzzaman and Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas were, among others, present at the briefing.
Source: UNB Connect
