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The BNP is “thinking of forming a grand alliance” ahead of the 13th parliamentary elections, says Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the party's National Standing Committee.
He made the remark in response to questions from the media after paying homage at the grave of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman in Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Monday afternoon, bdnews24.com reports.
"We have spoken to all the eligible candidates in the constituencies across Bangladesh. This [candidate interviews] is part of that process. We want to send the same message, so that there is unity within the party, and unity among the nation.
"We are thinking of a grand alliance with those with whom we have campaigned together so that, working in unison, we will be able to cross this electoral hurdle together,” he said.
For the past few days, interviews have been taking place with party candidates from various divisions at the BNP Chairperson's Office in Gulshan, where party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and members of the National Standing Committee are conveying Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman's messages regarding different candidates.
Salahuddin said, “Our message to the candidates is the same -- not division, but unity. Unity among the nation is our greatest strength.
“To maintain that unity, we are sending that message to the candidates so that no one goes down the path of division.”
Salahuddin, along with Jubo Dal President Abdul Monayem Munna and General Secretary Nurul Islam Nayan, laid a wreath at Ziaur Rahman's grave on the occasion of the 47th founding anniversary of the Nationalist Jubo Dal. They also took part in a special prayer service seeking the eternal peace of the party's founder.
"By collecting their opinions, we are formulating a programme to implement their ideals and build our nation in the future."
The BNP leader said, “This country will be a youth-based Bangladesh, a technology-based, talent-based Bangladesh, built on thoughts and ideals.
“This is the dream that our martyrs saw, the dream that the martyrs of the July Uprising saw, the dream that the martyrs of the Liberation War saw… We will move forward by internalising the concerns of the youth, their political considerations, their ideas and sensibilities.”
BNP National Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy inaugurated a free medical camp in Naya Paltan at noon. Free medical services and medicines are being distributed to the general public at this day-long medical camp.