Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said their party joined the municipal elections in the interest of democracy, though its knows it very well the voting will not be fair.

Speaking at a press briefing at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, he also alleged that over 5,000 BNP leaders and activists have been arrested across the country in recent times since the announcement of the municipal election schedule.

‘We’re repeatedly saying we know the election will not be freer. One can question why are we in the election race under the circumstances? The reason is we believe in democracy. BNP is a liberal democratic party. We want to bring any change through a democratic way,’ local news agency quotes BNP leader.

The briefing was arranged after a joint meeting of the party and its associate bodies held to work out programmes for marking the Victory Day and the Martyred Intellectuals Day.

Fakhrul alleged that objectives and spirit of the Liberation War, including people’s democratic rights, rights of expression and economic freedom are now at stake due to the government’s repressive acts.

He said opposition political parties now cannot hold any rally and public meeting as the government eliminated the democratic space. ‘Even our grassroots leaders and activists can’t hold any programme in our party’s district offices.’