Quader: BNP closed doors for discussion on elections

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday said that an agreement regarding the upcoming national election with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is not feasible. 

“BNP's demands have not left any room for negotiation,” he said in a press conference following a meeting with a joint International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) pre-election assessment mission from the US.

The meeting began at 12:15pm at the Hotel Sheraton in Banani and continued till 2:30pm.

The Awami League general secretary said that as per their talk, the US pre-election assessment team did not seem to come here for mediation. 

“We told them that BNP's demands, such as the resignation of the prime minister and formation of a caretaker government, have closed the path for negotiations,” he said. 

The Awami League's representative team at this meeting was led by the party's General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.

Other members are International Affairs Secretary Dr Shammi Ahmed, Presidium Member Muhammad Faruk Khan, Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Information and Research Secretary Dr Salim Mahmud, and Executive Committee Member Prof Mohammad Ali Arafat.

The six-member joint IRI and NDI pre-election assessment mission arrived in Dhaka on Saturday to follow electoral preparations and conduct an independent and impartial assessment.

From Sunday to Thursday, they will meet with a diverse group of election stakeholders, including government officials, political party leaders, election authorities and civil society members.