Dhaka, Nov 10 (Just News): BNP-led 20-party alliance will reveal its stance on participating in the 11th parliamentary election within two days, Liberal Democratic Party President Col (Rtd) Oli Ahmed told reporters this evening.
“We did not take any decision whether we will join the election. Our 20-party alliance will make its final decision public within two days after holding talks with Jatiya Oikyafront,” Oli said after emerging from a meeting with top leaders of the 20-party alliance.
Earlier, the alliance partners held a meeting with BNP leaders at its Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office in Dhaka.
He said they discussed overall political situation in the country ahead of the election and observed that the election friendly atmosphere has not been created in the country yet.
“Our main demand is to ensure Begum Khaleda Zia’s release from jail and it has to be met. Only then, the electoral atmosphere will be created,” he said.
He alleged that many leaders and activists of the 20-party alliance have been detained ahead of the election. Despite this, government frequently claims of creating a level-playing field for all parties, he said.
Responding to a query, he said some registered political parties within the 20-party alliance would contest the polls with their own electoral symbols while the nonregistered parties with BNP’s electoral symbol “Sheaf of Paddy”.
In the evening, BNP standing committee, the highest policy making body of the party, held a meeting to clear its stance over the 11th parliamentary election at the same place.
The BNP sat with its top policy making body and 20-party partners to take a crucial decision whether they will participate in the polls barely a day after the Election Commission sent letters to all registered political parties to inform it within three days whether they wanted to contest the December 23 parliamentary polls under any political alliance.
Meanwhile, Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain also sat with the party’s top brass at his Bailey road residence to decide on its stance over the upcoming election. The outcome of the meeting would be conveyed to steering committee of Jatiya Oikyafront, party insiders said.
(Justnews/ys/2330hr)
