The BNP has declined to concede before Dhaka City polls, says its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

“We can win in the [Dhaka City] polls if we can unite people. I refuse to declare defeat before polls,” Fakhrul said during a discussion in Dhaka on Friday (Jan 17).

The round table discussion on ‘Present scenario: Distrust in polls, use of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM)' has been organised by pro-BNP body Bangladesh Coordinated Professionals’ Council at National Press Club.

“A huge number of people are joining the party’s Dhaka City polls campaign. We can succeed if we can mobilize them and wage a movement,” said Fakhrul.

Terming BNP as a ‘liberal democratic political party’, he said, “The party is moving forward with its own characteristics. We have to develop it according to recent changes in world politics.”

The senior BNP leader also warned his party men of reckless decision and praised grassroots activists.

“The ruling party has destroyed all democratic institutions during their regime with their blueprint strategy, plans and ideas,” Fakhrul claimed after noting that the crisis in polls wasn’t the only problem as the whole country faced “enormous hardship”.