Peace returning, hope growing for Feb election after London meeting: BNP's Zahid

Peace is returning to the country, with a fresh hope for a February election after the London meeting between Muhammad Yunus and Tarique Rahman, BNP leader AZM Zahid Hossain said today (21 June).

Speaking at a discussion, he also criticised Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh for opposing the joint press conference held after the London meeting.

"If you [people] observe the situation in Bangladesh before and after the meeting, you'll see that various forms of unrest have decreased. Peace and order are returning, as people now have the hope for an election that many were trying to delay," said the BNP leader.

Zahid, a BNP Standing Committee member, urged the interim government to return people's power and country's ownership to them as early as possible by arranging the national election. "The power to build the future of Bangladesh lies in returning the rights of people as soon as possible," he said.

The BNP leader also urged the government to remain vigilant and careful so that no efforts are made to delay the election.

The Nationalist Research Foundation (NRF) arranged the programme titled 'The Leadership of Statesman Ziaur Rahman and Present-day Bangladesh' at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital.

In an oblique reference to the meeting between the Chief Adviser and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on June 13, Dr Zahid said many people are saying many things about it.

He said Jamaat and other parties held several meetings with the Chief Adviser at his official residence, Jamuna, and subsequently briefed reporters about the outcomes.

Zahid said the Chief Adviser's press secretary also separately briefed the media about the meetings. "There's nothing wrong with that, but you criticised the joint press conference after the meeting with Tarique Rahman… Perhaps it's time you looked in the mirror," he added.

He said Tarique is not just an individual, but a representative of the country's largest population group, and the eldest son of the proclaimer of Bangladesh's independence and late President Ziaur Rahman and three-time Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

"Tarique Rahman has united the democratic people with his qualifications and is leading them. So, when you compare yourself with him, people laugh," the BNP leader observed.

Criticising Jamaat's statement that the nation has become embarrassed following the joint press conference in London, Zahid said, adding, "Don't say that the entire nation has been embarrassed. You are not the wholesaler of the entire nation. How did you become the representative of 18 crore people? You can say that your party has been embarrassed."

"Don't talk about the whole nation. If you include the whole nation, the calculation is different, because the name of the largest party in Bangladesh is BNP," Zahid said.

He also said BNP does not want to worry about those speaking negatively about the party, as it prefers to look forward rather than backwards.

Stating that BNP has already announced a 31-point election manifesto, he urged Jamaat to present its own manifesto to gain public support. "Then people will give the responsibility to run and build the country to whomever they like," he said.