BNP delegation meets Sushma

Visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday told BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia that India hoped a free, fair, credible and inclusive election would be held in the country and the polls would be acceptable to all.

“She [Sushma] hoped that a fair, neutral and acceptable election will be held here with the participation of all political parties,” Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of the BNP, told journalists after the meeting, quoting Sushma.

Khaleda had a 45-minute meeting with Sushma at Dhaka Sonargaon Hotel, while six other party colleagues of the former premier accompanied her during the talks.

“The Indian external affairs minister has listened to us. She said as a democratic country, India wants a democratic environment and democratic practice to persist in other countries, especially in its neighbouring countries, and governments of those countries should be elected democratically," Fakhrul said.

He said the Indian minister also expected that the Election Commission would be able to discharge its duty of holding a neutral election.

He said the discussion was held in a very cordial atmosphere where the BNP chief talked about two issues -- Rohingya and the country's current political situation and the next general elections.

Khaleda talked about the Rohingya issue as it emerged as a big problem. She said Rohingyas were given temporary shelter, but they would have to return to Myanmar.

The BNP leader said the Indian external affairs minister agreed on the safe return of the Rohingyas to their country.

Sushma said India kept the pressure on the Myanmar government, and the whole world also continued its pressure to take back Rohingyas, the BNP leader added.

This is the second visit of Sushma to Bangladesh. She last visited in 2014 after becoming the Indian external affairs minister. Khaleda also had a meeting with her at the same venue during her first visit.