A week into the chief of the 14-party Alliance's partner Workers' Party, Rashed Khan Menon said people couldn’t vote in Dec 30 polls, the coalition has now written to the lawmaker seeking an explanation.
A letter has been sent to Menon after the ruling Awami League-led alliance held a meeting at the AL's Dhanmondi offices on Thursday (Oct 24) with spokesperson and AL presidium member Mohammad Nasim in the chair.
It said, "Your (Memon's) remarks [on the national election] are in no way acceptable.
"Your untrue statement has created confusion among the public in such time when democracy [of the country] led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is moving forward and it also goes against the 14-party Alliance's views on the election," read the letter.
Speaking to Bangla Tribune, Memon said he has already received the letter.
"A reply will be given in a couple of days," he added.
On Oct 19, at a party programme in the southern district of Barishal, Menon said, "I have been elected in the last National Election. But still, I am saying that people couldn’t vote. That was the case as well for the elections to the Upazila and Union councils afterwards.”
On Sunday (Oct 20), Menon, in a media statement, clarified his statement saying the 11th parliamentary election was held successfully, but the experiences were not good.
On Wednesday (Oct 23), the veteran politician said "sorry" over his remarks.
Menon’s Workers’ Party is an ally in the 14-party Alliance. The veteran left-wing politician has served as a member of the Sheikh Hasina-led cabinet between late 2013 until the last general election.
Hasina, who has always included representatives from the AL's allied parties in her administration, did not pick any of them as her new cabinet colleagues while forming the government after the 11th national election.
Menon's remarks also drew flak from the leaders of the Alliance's components with several leaders calling him to resign as a Member of the Parliament.