BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Friday discussed “vote fraud” with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman and provided her with relevant documents.
The former three-time premier narrated how the Awami League had “manipulated” the polls during the meeting at her Gulshan residence, party leaders said.
Sherman went to Khaleda’s residence around 4:30pm and held a nearly 30-minute meeting before leaving Dhaka.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan said the city polls and the latest political situation was discussed at the meeting.
“What happened in Bangladesh over the past several days centring the city corporation elections is certainly a matter of concern, both inside and for many outside the country as had been expressed by the US, the EU, the UN and even the UK, although a bit late,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
Moyeen said: “We did not elaborate the absurdity of the elections, since the local media had fully elaborated the incidents on the election day and later.”
The former minister also said: “Political, social and economic issues inside the country remains far from normal, despite the fact that BNP had decided to take part in these elections, leading to a de-escalation of the direct conflict between the government and the opposition.”
“On the issue of development partnership, it was pointed out that there cannot be any sustainable development without good governance. Besides, donors are accountable to taxpayers in their own countries if the money they provide as aid or credit to other countries contributes to corruption or abuse.”
The BNP chief’s advisers Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed, and US Ambassador Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat were also present at the meeting.
Asked about Sherman’s view on the city polls, Moyeen refused to make any comment.
