Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has once again raised questions over the BNP leadership, stating that there was no clarity over who the party’s candidate for prime minister would be if it won the next general election.
Mentioning that both top leaders of BNP have been convicted in criminal cases, Sheikh Hasina said: “It is usually considered beforehand who the head of government would be if a party wins the election. Who will lead the country if the BNP comes to power? A convicted fugitive?”
The premier made the remarks in response to a question during a press briefing at her office on Wednesday morning.
Referring to Tarique Rahman, the acting chairperson of the BNP, the Awami League president said: “He surrendered his Bangladeshi citizenship and took British citizenship. Let’s find out how much it costs to get British citizenship for a convicted person.”
"What can you expect from a party that has not come up from the grassroots? Who leads the party? A person convicted in corruption cases. I have given her the opportunity to stay at home, suspending the sentence imposed on her by using my executive powers considering her age. Another one is convicted in the 10-truck arms and August 21 grenade attack cases and is a fugitive,” Sheikh Hasina added.
When asked about participatory elections, the Awami League president said: “In the general election of 2018, the BNP changed its candidates three times in each constituency. Some nominations came from London, some from Dhaka. They sold party nominations for money. Then they left the election at the last moment. Where is the fault of the Awami League here? How was there no democracy?
Regarding other opposition political parties, Shekih Hasina said:: “Another party is in a similar situation. It does not have any organizational capacity. The rest are leftist political parties. They have gradually split and become smaller and smaller. Who else is there? Make a strong party. We will face anyone on the election field.”
“The Awami League is an old party of this country, the mass people are involved with this party. Other major parties were formed by military dictators. What can we expect from them? I do not want to achieve power in this way,” said the Awami League president, who has been providing leadership to the party since 1981.
