Zakir Hossain / Dhaka
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister and former head of government, plans to contest the country’s upcoming national elections, senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Abdul Awal Mintoo said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a party event in Feni city, Mintoo, BNP’s Vice Chairman, told reporters, “Our party leader, Khaleda Zia, will also participate in the election. She is currently in good health. We have no concerns regarding Feni. If the election is free and fair, InshaAllah, the BNP will win here.”
Mintoo also commented on recent political developments, particularly the ongoing dialogue around forming an interim government. Referring to discussions with BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman in London, he said, “A joint statement was issued on the interim government, and we expect elections in the first week of February. However, depending on the Supreme Court verdict on the caretaker government system, elections may even be held in January.”
The BNP has long pushed for the return of a caretaker system to ensure election-time neutrality. “If the caretaker system is restored, the interim setup will operate accordingly, and polls must be held within 90 days as per the constitution,” Mintoo noted. He also criticised the ruling establishment, saying, “We have been enduring political repression for the past 19 years. Anyone claiming that our demand for elections is sudden is misinformed. BNP has been demanding fair polls since 2006.”
Mintoo further asserted that the 2008 general election was not free or fair, adding that without an elected, accountable administration, the country cannot expect progress in the people’s quality of life or economic wellbeing.