The BNP today said they would not take part in any election held under the incumbent government.
After a meeting between a party delegation and EU diplomats this morning, BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said they told the diplomats that if the election was held under the ruling Awami League government, the people would not be able to elect their representatives.
"We clearly said we would not go for any election under the incumbent government. It has been made clear to all who are closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh. And even the reason for such statement is also made clear to them," Khosru told journalists.
The BNP leader said they discussed the current situation of the country, democracy and the next election during the meeting
He said the international community, and democratic countries in particular, were closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh.
"As part of that they [diplomats and countries] are observing the state of democracy in Bangladesh, the state of human rights, rule of law, freedom of expression, freedom of press in the country. There is particular concern inside and outside the country about the next election and certainly they have a close eye on the issue. Today's discussion is from that point of view."
The BNP leader also said that the diplomats wanted to know how the next election would be held and how the election will be a neutral and inclusive one.
Charles Whiteley, EU ambassador to Bangladesh, and diplomats from Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France and Sweden joined the meeting with the BNP.
The BNP delegation was led by the party's Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Other members of the BNP delegation included BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Organising Secretary (Dhaka Division) Shama Obaid and the party's Human Rights Affairs Secretary Asaduzzaman Asad.
The BNP has been pushing its 10-point demand, which includes the government stepping down and a non-partisan interim government stepping in during the next national election, slated for late this year or early next year.
