BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has said that the national parliament election is possible before December this year.
He said, "The extent of the reforms that will be agreed upon can be done within the next month. Accordingly, the parliamentary election is possible before December this year."
He said this while talking to reporters after a meeting with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nicole Chulick, who is visiting Dhaka on Wednesday.
Amir Khasru said, "First of all, there was a discussion on the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the US. The issue of tariffs came up there and what Bangladesh is thinking about in terms of tariffs."
He said, "And there was a discussion on the elections. Everyone wants to know when the elections will be held, what we are thinking about. There was a long discussion on this. We have said that the decisions that are postponed in various areas of Bangladesh, both inside and outside the country, have affected the country."
The BNP leader said, "After an elected government comes to power, decisions will come easily and it is easier for a government that has the support of the people to take decisions. So, naturally everyone is waiting for an elected government. They (US diplomats) wanted to know our policy, what will be the BNP's policy, what will be the economic policy– we have explained them in detail.'
In response to a question, Amir Khasru said, “We have said that where there is consensus on reforms, it will be over within the next month, and then the elections can be held. There is no scope of postponing the elections based on the issue of reforms. We have been repeatedly stating our position that we want elections by December. The reforms that are being talked about can be resolved within the next month, because it has been said that the reforms on which there is consensus will be reformed.”
He said, “The political parties will go to the people with the rest, and if they get a mandate in the next election, they will come to the next parliament with what they want. After that, there will be no more issues. The Election Commission is ready. They have said that there are no more issues; so elections can be held before December.”
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
