BNP Secretary General Urges Participation of Awami League and Jatiya Party in Upcoming Elections

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has expressed his desire for both the Awami League and the Jatiya Party to participate in the forthcoming national parliamentary elections. He made these remarks during a recent interview with the Kolkata-based Bengali daily newspaper ‘Ei Samay’ in Gulshan, Dhaka. The interview was published on Monday. Fakhrul emphasised the need for free and fair elections.

When asked whether the Awami League and the Jatiya Party could participate, Fakhrul said: “We have stated that all parties, including the Awami League and its allies, as well as the Jatiya Party, should take part. There must be a free and fair vote. For expressing this, some people have called me an agent of India and a collaborator of the Awami League.”

Regarding Jamaat-e-Islami’s participation, Fakhrul noted: “Jamaat has requested thirty seats. We did not show encouragement and suggested a much smaller number, which did not satisfy them. I assure you, we will not allow Jamaat to gain undue importance. No matter their actual strength, we have unnecessarily given them more significance. PR-TR and other mechanisms are simply tactics to pressure the BNP.”

He further added that Jamaat is preparing for the elections and announcing candidates across various constituencies. Fakhrul stated:“People across the country strongly desire elections. The army wants elections, and so does the chief adviser of the caretaker government, Muhammad Yunus.”

When asked about possible Indian influence in the upcoming elections, Fakhrul remarked: “India was a key ally during the Liberation War, providing shelter to one million people at that time. Geographically, India borders Bangladesh on three sides, with the sea on the fourth, so Indian influence is inevitable. The problem is that India has equated Bangladesh solely with the Awami League. By following the Awami League’s narrative, they have placed BNP and Jamaat in the same bracket. The politics of Jamaat and BNP are entirely different. We are a secular, centrist, democratic party. We continue to defend the constitution achieved through the Liberation War and fight against anti-independence forces, with the left supporting us.”

Summary of Key Points

Fakhrul’s statements reaffirm the BNP’s position as a centrist, secular party advocating fair elections, while highlighting concerns over external influence and the role of Jamaat-e-Islami in the upcoming polls.