Dhaka: BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday warned that people will not accept if the government tries to score in an empty field keeping their party chairperson Khaleda Zia away from the 11^th parliamentary election race.

He came up with the remarks while giving BNP’s reaction to Prime Minister’s various comments about BNP and the next polls at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office.

‘The Prime Minister restored to lies at her press conference. She made some statements which have no relation with truth. She also talked about the election and said it will not wait for anyone. She talked like that she has experience of holding that type of polls like in 2014 where even 5 percent people didn’t go to polling stations to cast their votes,’ Fakhrul said.

He further said, ‘We would like to clearly say that no polls will be acceptable to people without Khaleda Zia’s participation in it. This is the reality. Those who deny it want to score in the empty field and hold unilateral polls to establish a one-party rule. But, people won’t accept it.’

Earlier at a press conference, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the next national election will be held in time as per the constitution, no matter who are joining it and who are boycotting it.

She also said those who have belief in democracy and the voting rights of people and have confidence and trust in people will join the election. ‘Or else, we’ve nothing to do.’

Reacting to the PM’s comment, Fakhrul said the government is again trying to hold a lopsided election through a blueprint to cement the ‘one-party’ rule.

As part of its blueprint, he said, their chairperson was convicted in a ‘fake’ case using the court.

The BNP leader criticised the Prime Minister for questioning BNP’s move to drop section seven from its charter, saying why the ruling party is so concerned over BNP’s constitution and its party chief.

Replying to a question, he said Tarique Rahman has automatically become BNP acting chairman as per its constitution in the absence of the party chairperson. ‘It’s our party’s internal matter, not their (govt’s) business.’

Asked about their next course of action after getting the certified copy of the verdict against Khaleda, Fakhrul hoped that an appeal will be filed by this week challenging it. ‘Our lawyers will decide it.’