PM: Where is BNP’s leadership?

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said BNP wants to make the next general election controversial knowing that there is no chance for them to win it.

“They know they don’t have any possibility of winning the election. So, their effort is to make it controversial, create confusion among people and harm people by any means,” she said responding to a question during the media briefing at her official residence Ganobhaban.

She also said the new election commission will be constituted through a search committee to be formed by the President.

“The President will form a search committee and the election commission will be constituted through this search committee,” she said replying to another question.

The present election commission will complete its five-year tenure in February 2022 and the next commission will arrange the 12th parliamentary election to be held at the end of 2023.

The press conference was arranged to inform the media about the outcomes of her recent visit to the United States for joining the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Sheikh Hasina said BNP wants to make the next general election controversial knowing that there is no chance for them to win it.

“They know they don’t have any possibility of winning the election. So, their effort is to make it controversial, create confusion among people and harm people by any means,” she said responding to another question.

The Prime Minister questioned the leadership of BNP saying that one (Khaleda) is convicted for misappropriating the fund of orphans and another (Tarique) is a fugitive convicted for various misdeeds, including the August-21 grenade attack and 10-truck arm-haul cases.

“They know they won’t win. How will a party win? Where is its leadership? One is a convicted for misappropriating the fund of orphans and another is a fugitive as he’s convicted for the August-21 grenade attack and 10-truck arm-haul cases. They are still there in the (party) leadership. If this is the case, under which consideration people would vote for them,” she questioned.

Sheikh Hasina said even these two top leaders will not be able to take part in the election! “They have no belief that they can win the polls.”

Referring to the 2014 general election, she said BNP had made frantic efforts to make it questionable and committed many misdeeds, including arson attacks, to thwart the polls. “Since the election was held (successfully) and then there was stability, it (govt) has made possible to ensure development what you’re witnessing today,” she said.

Hasina said BNP has no complaint over the 2008 general election and questioned as to why they could not win the polls.

The Prime Minister made a pointed reference to some incidents of tortures carried out by BNP men after the 2001 national election.

Mentioning the development activities carried by by her government, Hasina questioned who and why would vote for BNP.

Pointing at the journalists, she said, “Ask who would vote for them. I asked all journalists first to question their conscience that who, why and with what hope will vote for BNP and others.”

Some journalists attended the press conference at Ganabhaban, while others were connected from the Prime Minister’s Office through a virtual platform.