Those who cannot accept Tarique's leadership will join polls: home boss

BNP leaders who are dissatisfied with the leadership of the party's acting chairperson, Tarique Rahman, are forming new platforms to participate in the polls, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said yesterday.

"I have information that those who could not accept Tarique as the leader of BNP are preparing to join the election. They have already formed different platforms to contest in the polls," the home boss told reporters at the Secretariat.

When he was asked about the competitiveness of the national election in the absence of BNP, Asaduzzaman said that many BNP leaders are not satisfied with the high command. "I have heard that many BNP leaders will contest the election as independent candidates."

When asked how a level playing field could be ensured with the majority of BNP leaders imprisoned, the home minister said, "There are specific cases against all of the BNP leaders who have been arrested. No one was arrested without reason."

Turning to concerns about potential sabotage during the elections, the minister said, "I've not received any information about such threats.

"The people of Bangladesh do not like sabotage. The people of any civilised country in the world do not like it.

"The more vandalism you do, the more alienated you become from the people. It will bring shame to their fate rather than public support," he added.

Highlighting public support for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership, he emphasised that people are committed to the progress the country has made and are unwilling to regress.