After the meeting, BNP leaders said they discussed election issues with the Indian minister. BNP did not participate in the last general elections because the Awami League government headed by Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister at that time. The ruling Awami League, however, have been insisting that Hasina will remain prime minister during the polls as per the constitutional provision. The Election Commission has now completed the dialogue with the political parties, civil society members and elections experts and received 531 recommendations from the political parties on the election scheduled between December 2018 and January 2019. The diplomatic source said India as a democracy conveyed to Khaleda Zia that it wants a “free and fair” election in Bangladesh with the “best possible participation” of political parties.

Source: bd News24 October 25, 2017 17:03 UTC