People will not be able to vote if election held under AL govt: BNP tells EU mission

The people of the country will not be able to vote if the 12th parliamentary elections are held under the Awami League government, the BNP told the Election Exploratory Mission of the European Union (EU) during the meeting today (15 July).

"We clearly told the EU delegation that the people of Bangladesh will not be able to vote under this government," BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said after the end of the 90-minute meeting. 

"We've told them that there's no question of going to elections under this regime; it is not possible. There are so many reasons behind it," he said.

The BNP leader said the entire world has an eye on Bangladesh's election as they know the polls under this government were questionable and not acceptable. 

"That's why they're expressing their concerns."

He said the EU team wanted to know whether the people of Bangladesh will be able to cast their votes in the elections in the days to come.

The BNP leader said the government indulged in vote stealing in the past and they are still doing the same thing, and will continue it in the future too. 

"They'll go to power again through this process by controlling the election and keeping the people out of voting. These issues have been naturally discussed [in the meeting]."

"Why should the EU team come to Bangladesh and take opinions on the election? They don't have to go to any country in South Asia to this end. Even, they hardly go to any country in the world for this purpose. So, why did they have to come to Bangladesh? Like everyone else, they may have the same question about the elections under this regime," Khasru observed.

Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir led the BNP delegation during the meeting and was accompanied by standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Human Rights Affairs Secretary Asaduzzaman Asad, Organising Secretary Shama Obaid and BNP chairperson's adviser Ismail Hossain Zabiullah.

Earlier on Sunday (9 July), the European Union's six-member Election Exploratory Mission arrived in Dhaka to survey the atmosphere ahead of the next national election.

The delegation, which will be visiting Bangladesh till 23 July, includes Dimitra Ioannou, Cristina Ramos Alves, Miller Ian James, Chamagne Christopher and Marie-Helene Enderlin.

After the BNP meeting, the EU delegation went to a meeting with Jatiya Party. 

They will also hold a meeting with Jamaat-e-Islami at 2:30pm today and with Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party at 4pm. The Jamaat-e-Islami delegation will be led by Naib Amir Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher and the AB party delegation will be led by Party joint convener Tajul Islam.

The EU delegation is also scheduled to have a meeting with Awami League today at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel in Banani. 

According to party sources, a party of nine members led by Obaidul Quader will attend the meeting on behalf of the Awami League.

The main objective of the visiting EU mission is to assess the "advisability, usefulness and feasibility" of a possible EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the upcoming parliamentary elections, according to the EU Mission in Dhaka.