Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said Awami League wants the participation of all political parties, including BNP, in the upcoming general elections.
"We want the participation of all political parties, including BNP, in the upcoming general elections," he told reporters after exchanging views with the representatives of 'The Election Monitoring Forum' (EMF), a platform of election observers, from home and abroad, at his official residence in the capital's Minto Road.
"We also want people to cast their votes with enthusiasm for electing the next government in a free and fair manner. We, on behalf of the government, will cooperate if it is necessary," he said.
He also said a total of 108 organisations are registered with the Election Commission for monitoring the elections. Of those, the Election Monitoring Forum is an alliance of 51 organisations.
"The EMF representatives discussed election-related issues with me elaborately. They also want the participation of all political parties, including BNP, in the next polls where the countrymen will elect their next government. The forum monitored the last election and they will send an election monitoring team to observe the next polls," added the minister.
The minister said the EMF was informed that the next polls will be held under the Election Commission (EC) like all other democratic countries. And the current government like India, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany and other countries of Continental Europe would work as the election-period government and the polls will be held under the EC, he added.
Replying to a query about BNP, Hasan said the party is afraid of elections and it is normal as they got only 29 seats in 2008 polls. Later, they had boycotted the 2014 polls to resist democracy though they failed, he added.
He said BNP got only six seats after forming a grand alliance with rightists, leftists, extreme rightists, extreme leftists and the Taliban in 2018 polls. But, that didn't bring any fruit for them. Consequently, they are scared of the election, he added.
Hasan hoped that the BNP would take part in the next polls.
He said the EC conducts elections and the commission would take initiative so that all parties participate in the polls.
Among others, AL Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Aminul Islam Amin, EMF chairman Mohammad Abed Ali, Social activist and political analyst of Germany Volkar U Freidrich, Global Village Connection chairman of Bhutan Jackson Dukpa, Islamic Arabic University acting vice chancellor and director of the forum Abul Kalam Azad, pro vice-chancellor of BUET and director of the forum Professor Dr Abdul Jabbar Khan and agriculturalist Dr Azadul Haaque, attended the meeting.
Source: United News of Bangladesh