No foreign power can influence polls
Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abdur Razzaque yesterday said no matter how powerful the US ambassador or people like him are, they won't be able to play any role in the next national elections of Bangladesh.
Razzaque, however, said they will welcome any opinion or advice from the international community regarding the next elections.
He was talking to journalists after a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) meeting at the ministry's conference room at the Secretariat.
Replying to a question, the minister said foreigners are the country's development partners. The entire world is a global village. BNP also has the right to hold discussions with them.
"The international community wants our elections to be free and fair. We've appointed a new election commissioner in this regard. Elections are held under an election commission in most of the developed countries. They don't form any caretaker government during election times. BNP is consistently talking about the formation of a caretaker government, which will never happen," said Razzaque.
He added that the next general elections will be held according to the current constitution, where there is no mention of a caretaker government.
"BNP is holding discussions with representatives of various states over the last few days. I want to tell BNP that go to the people instead, who will elect their next leaders. It's the people who have real power, not foreigners," added Razzaque.
Meanwhile, Local Government and Rural Development Minister Md Tazul Islam yesterday said calling on foreigners to interfere in internal affairs of the country, including the national elections, will bring misfortune to the country.
Tazul made the comment after a meeting with newly-appointed EU ambassador Charles Whatley at his office.
The minister said Bangladesh is an independent-sovereign country. If there is any internal problem, people can discuss it among themselves. "If you discuss [internal matters] with a representative of a foreign country, it belittles your own country."
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