Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Saturday ruled out the possibility of any midterm election and dialogue with BNP saying Bangladesh is marching ahead with development on all fronts.
“I don’t see any possibility of dialogue…there’ll be dialogue only before the next election,” he said adding that the dialogue could be held 90 days prior to the next election to be held in January, 2019.
The Commerce Minister made the remark while responding to questions at a ‘Meet-the-Press’ event at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU). DRU President Sakhawat Hossain Badsha and General Secretary Elias Hossain were present.
Tofail suggested BNP to have patience for the next national election and reminded that the election will not be held under any caretaker government. On midterm elections, the Commerce Minister said there has been no such urgency that there should be a midterm election. “I don’t see any possibility for midterm election.”
He claimed that BNP is now totally inactive and suggested all to look into the scenario across the country. “BNP programmes hardly get any response.”
The Commerce Minister said, all the development indicators are positive, and Bangladesh is doing far better than any other countries in South Asia.
On December 31, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia placed a seven-point demand, including the arrangement of a fresh inclusive national election under a neutral administration as soon as possible, to resolve the ongoing political standoff.
She also urged all democratic parties, forces and individuals to get united to wage a national movement through a national consensus to establish a government of people.
