The BNP and its allies have stopped short of refusing to join the general election after the government announced it would press on with the Dec.18 voting on a lack of consensus, but termed the decision "unilateral" and "unacceptable".
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia met with the leaders of the four-party alliance at her Gulshan office in the city as the government 's announcement came from the commerce adviser.
"The commerce adviser's announcement has put a barricade to each party's participation in the polls. He has made the announcement without any discussion with us," BNP secretary general Khandakar Delwar Hossain said, emerging from the four-party meeting.
Delwar alleged that the government was trying to keep the four-party out of the election.
Asked whether the four-party will run the election, he said, "We are closely observing the situation. We will give you the details after the meeting of the alliance tomorrow (Thursday)."
He also demanded the government create a congenial electoral environment through lifting the state of emergency.
"An election under emergency cannot be free and fair. The four-party will not go for such an election, nor will it be acceptable to the people."
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, joint secretary general Nazrul Islam Khan and central leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami and secretary general Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed, among others, attended the both meetings.
Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman, the government spokesman, had earlier announced that the government had proposed deferring the general election to Dec. 28 and Upazila polls to Jan. 8.
But they planned to go ahead with parliamentary polls on Dec.18 since major parties failed to reach consensus, he said.
Khaleda on Monday gave the government 48 hours to meet four demands, including a fresh schedule, for the four-party alliance to go to elections. The deadline ended Wednesday evening.
The government launched into frantic discussions with the Awami League and BNP-led alliances on Tuesday, but the stakeholders failed to reach consensus over delaying the polls.
The nomination deadline for general polls and Upazila elections has been pushed back three days to Nov. 23 but the election dates of Dec. 18 and 28 remain unchanged, the chief election commissioner told us Wednesday night.
ATM Shamsul Huda had said hours before they were ready to reschedule the general election for Dec. 28 if the government could get all parties to agree on the date.
Subject: BNP slams govt but stops short of boycott ............. 
Thu Nov 20, 2008 12:13 pm
