'BNP will lose strength, split if boycotts next polls'

“We do not want to see BNP being confined to a certain range like those parties. Rather, we hope to see it taking part in the polls as a large party led by Khaleda Zia,” the former minister said at a party meeting in Dhaka on Saturday. He said that the BNP's decision of boycotting the last polls was suicidal, and hoped they would not repeat the same mistake. Vowing to win the next parliamentary election to help the country's progress continue, he said the last polls was held as per scheduled, though BNP boycotting it. “The next time it [election] will likewise be held timely,” he said, adding, the government had nothing to do with the polls since election commission being a constitutional organisation conducted it. “Even the transfer of an official during election has to be endorsed by the commission,” he further said. He, however, criticised Khaleda for raising questions over the country's overall situation despite what he called international recognition of Bangladesh's economic growth. She herself was not well with a son on the lam over graft charges which were brought by the FBI, he claimed