BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Monday said the party Chairperson Khaleda Zia did not express her spite against Sheikh Hasina.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader claims Khaleda’s speech on Sunday at Suhrawardy Udyan rally was full of spite towards Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Nazrul dismissed her Obaidur’s claim and said Khaleda demanded a neutral election, says a UNB report.
Speaking at a discussion, he accused the government of expressing its rant against BNP by stopping mass transport and creating obstacles to their rally.
"Khaleda Zia in our rally didn't bring any personal allegation against Sheikh Hasina. She said Bangladesh's people won't join any election under the current government or Sheikh Hasina. It's a political statement where there is no spite towards anybody," the BNP leader said.
Nazrul, also a BNP standing committee member, said Khaleda Zia made a political demand for holding the next polls under a non-party neutral administration as per people's hopes and aspirations. "It's not the manifestation of any malice towards anybody. Our leader (Khaleda) stated it clearly that BNP doesn't believe in the politics of vengeance."
Jatiyatabadi Projonmo 71 arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 'National Revolution and Solidarity Day'.
Giving their party's reaction to Khaleda's speech at Suhrawardy Udyan rally on Sunday evening, Quader alleged that Khaleda Zia's remarks were nothing but an expression of spite towards Sheikh Hasina.
Nazrul said their party wants a free, fair and credible election to be held in a peaceful manner in the country through discussions and understanding among political parties.
The BNP leader urged the ruling party to accept Khaleda's challenge to hold the next polls under a neutral government if the party thinks it has popularity and it carried out huge development over the last nine years.
He said Awami League wants to hold the national election under a partisan government as the party knows it has no possibility to win credible and neutral polls.
About 'obstruction' to their rally, Nazrul said the government tried to stop mass wave of people towards their rally by stopping the capital-bound buses and river vessels from the districts adjacent to Dhaka. "But people joined it coming there on foot and enduring sufferings as they're fed up with the government due to its misrule, repressive acts and soaring prices of essentials."