No external pressure over polls, claims Foreign Minister

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has claimed that there is no external pressure over the forthcoming 12th parliament election in Bangladesh.

At the same time, he claimed that the US is not satisfied with the activities opposition BNP is carrying out.

“There is no external pressure over the polls. We want to hold a free and fair election. We want to hold an acceptable election. This is our pressure. But we want to do it,” he told the reporters while replying to a question after attending a programme at North South University as the chief guest on Thursday (December 14).

“We are committed to holding a free and fair election. We believe in people. We want people’s verdict. We want people to go to polling stations to exercise their franchise in big numbers. These are our challenges,” he said.

In response to a question, Momen said he thinks the US does not like what opposition BNP is doing. “My guess is that the US is hugely dissatisfied with the BNP. The US does not like arson attacks and terrorist activities.”

Momen said the US did not see a democratic mindset from the BNP. “The US believes in democracy. We also believe in democracy. We have no mental distance from the US.”