Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday expressed his doubts over BNP’s stance in participating in the municipal polls.
He said: “We still have strong doubts that the BNP would stick to its current stance of participating in the municipal polls on December 30.”
The public administration minister made the comment while addressing a press briefing at Awami League president’s political office in the capital’s Dhanmondi, soon after BNP chief Khaleda Zia said her party would stay in the vote battle till the end.
Referring to BNP’s boycotting of January 5 national elections, Narayanganj City Corporation, Dhaka north and south city corporations and Chittagong City Corporation polls, he said: “Several previous records showed that the party [BNP] either boycotted the elections or withdrew candidates at the eleventh hour.
“If the party does the same this time too, it will not come as a surprise.”
On the issue of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s recent comment questioning the number of martyrs in the Liberation War, Ashraf said: “Making such comments at a time when the entire nation is preparing for municipal polls proved that the BNP chief doesn’t have any good intention regarding the event.”
“Such a remark from her again proves that she has a strong connection with the anti-liberation forces,” he added.
Last Monday, the BNP chief in her first public address in more than a year, said there are controversies over “how many were martyred in the Liberation War.”
The comment came soon after Pakistan denied its involvement in the war crimes and atrocities in Bangladesh during 1971 Liberation War.
However, the ruling party leader hoped that the BNP this time would stand ground and would not boycott the polls.
The Awami League-backed candidates would come out victorious in the polls, said the minister. “Our internal survey showed that we will win most of the positions in the polls.”
Ashraful said the municipal polls will be held in democratic way similar to that of other countries in the world.
He said: “If our party candidates won the polls with the highest number of votes in the local government polls, the central government will not benefit us from any side and if we lose all the municipalities, it will not be a threat to the government. So why would we interfere in the polls?”
Pointing towards Khaleda, the Awami League leader said: “Come and attend the polls to strengthen the country’s democracy. We hope you will not make the same mistake like boycotting the 2014 January 5 national polls.”
“No help will come if the BNP boycotted the municipal polls. Rather, it will come as a harm to country’s democracy,” he added.
