BNP's top leaders created a ‘prison’ blocking partymen from joining polls: Hasan

The top leaders of BNP have confined their party leaders within a self-imposed confinement labeled "BNP prison," hindering their participation in elections, Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud said today.

"BNP leaders are not allowed to vote in any election, including the parliamentary, upazila and union parishad polls, and the decision comes from abroad which has no relation with the reality," he said while replying to a query from reporters at his office at secretariat on Thursday (30 November).

Hasan Mahmud said many leaders come out of the "BNP prison" and some of them submitted their nomination papers today. 

"Many BNP leaders also realised that the decision of not joining the poll is taking the party to destruction," he added.

Mentioning that BNP is currently relying on uncertain hopes and foreign support, the minister said a political party cannot sustain itself by engaging in such strategies.

He said the countrymen have rejected BNP's blockade and hartal programmes and the people are doing their daily jobs as usual. 

"BNP's all programmes have become fade as festive and joyous moods are prevailing centering the upcoming election," he said.

The information minister hoped that BNP will return to the trend of good politics leaving their negative practices.

Regarding a comment of TIB over the next polls, Hasan Mahmud said the organisation would see a participatory election on the day of poll. 

He went on to say, "I would ask the TIB where was their statement when BNP carried out vandalism and attacked the residence of the chief justice, judges complex and hospital and burnt about 19 transports including ambulances on 28 October." 

He said the TIB makes statements when anyone gets injured, but they didn't make any statement when the terrorists are carrying out arson attacks and killing people. 

"In fact, the TIB has lost the acceptance," he said.