The Dhaka Times Desk In an interview given to Voice of America, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia said, 'BNP's unity with Jamaat is strategic'.
Khaleda Zia said in response to the question whether contact with Jamaat, alliance or unity or unity is strategic, 'Awami League has done it before. During the anti-Ershad movement, we decided that we would not go to the '86 election. Then Awami League went to the election in the middle of the night with Ershad. Talked to the Jamaat and took them. Awami League and Jamaat demand neutral government. Awami League did a lot of sabotage for that. Has done a lot of damage to the country. Awami League is still maintaining that connection with Jamaat. This alliance of Jamaat with BNP is completely strategic.
Begum Khaleda Zia said in an interview from Voice of America's Washington studio about the elections that people have rejected the 10th National Assembly elections. So, the discussion about the 11th Parliament is the next topic. He said, besides, it has been proved that fair elections cannot be held under Awami League. He commented in that interview that it took them two days to clean up this shameless lie, how could 40 percent of the votes have been cast where not even 5 percent of the votes were cast.
Highlighting the party position of BNP and the next thoughts of the 18 parties, the BNP Chairperson said in the interview, "The first thing I will say is that there was no election in the country. What has happened is not acceptable to anyone. The people of the country have completely rejected the government. Where in 153 constituencies no one has participated, contested, no one is interested in election. There only one-party elections were held in 153 seats. No contest, no contest. Secondly, in the 147 constituencies where elections were scheduled on January 5, the media workers of the country and abroad saw that there were no people in the polling stations. The presiding officer is sleeping somewhere. Some places are voting themselves. No voter cast their vote in 47-48 polling stations. Many centers are closed. Even then, what happened will not even be 5th. So what happened to it? This is the verdict of the people, there is no reflection of the opinion of the people here.' Begum Khaleda Zia said, 'That's why I will not call it an election. It can be called a shared choice. They themselves shared seats and power.' He said, 'The people of Bangladesh want to see a truly free, fair and impartial election. Where all parties will participate. Would like to see such an election. That election should be under a neutral government.'
Begum Khaleda Zia also said in Voice of America, 'People are now more clear after January 5, that there can be no fair and impartial election under Awami League. It is very clear that this Election Commission has acted like a spineless or party government. How can 40% vote where not even 5% of votes were cast? It is a blatant lie. It took them two days. Makes everything right, organizes and decides how to say it. So it is clear and the nation has rejected it.'
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