Leaders of the BNP are split over the leadership of Tarique Rahman, claims ruling Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, he said that the government has opened the process to extradite acting BNP chief Tarique from London.
His remarks come hours after Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali told the media that Dhaka has written to London over the matter.
A cabinet member, Quader, however, wondered whether all the BNP leaders wanted Tarique back home in Bangladesh.
“BNP leaders accuse each other of acting as government’s agents. Everybody knows that they have problems over Tarique Rahman,” he said.
On the BNP’s stance over not taking part in the polls with party chief Khaleda Zia behind the bars, Quader said that the party was “trying it’s best” to wage a movement for her release, but has failed to garner public support.
Admitting that their arch-rival BNP is a major party in Bangladesh, Quader said that they would not drag the party into the polls. “It’s their right to take part in the polls … It’s totally up to them whether they will join with Khaleda Zia in jail.”
On BNP slamming the election commission for it polls schedule announcement, the senior AL leader said, “Electoral activities prior to announcing the schedule, especially a polls-time administration, does not fall under the Election Commission’s the jurisdiction.”
On Wednesday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “No schedule for the next general election would be acceptable unless political parties reach to a solution over a polls-time administration,”
Asked on the possibility of BNP’s representation in the polls-time government, Quader made it clear that it will consist of parties who have members in the parliament.