Dhaka: BNP on Sunday shared its concern with foreign diplomats that the democratic future of Bangladesh will be at stake if the next general election here is not held in a fair and credible manner with the participation of all parties.

‘If we fail to ensure holding of a free, fair, acceptable and inclusive election, the democratic future of the country will be destroyed,’ BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told an Iftar party at a city hotel, reports the UNB.

He further said, ‘In today’s globalised world when we share our concern with our foreign friends, we’re also convinced that we’ll have to take forward our struggle of our own.’

In absence of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia, BNP hosted the iftar party in honour of foreign diplomats working in Bangladesh on the third day of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Khaleda used to host iftar for foreign diplomats during Ramadan every year.

Ambassadors, high commissioners, mission chiefs, charge d’ affaires and other envoys from about 35 countries attended the iftar.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and party standing committee members received the guests and exchanged pleasantries with them.

In a brief address prior to iftar, Fakhrul said, ‘I welcome you with a heavy heart to this Iftar gathering. I’m sure many of you here are missing the presence of Begum Khaleda Zia. She’s been spending a difficult time within the four walls of an abandoned house re-designated as a prison for no fault of hers. As days pass the travesty of justice is getting exposed every day.’

Sixteen High Commissioner and Ambassadors, including Dean of Diplomatic Corps Ambassador of Vatican to Bangladesh Archbishop George Kocherry, Chines Ambassador Zhang Zuo, Indian High Commissioner Harsha Bardhan Shringla, Canadian High Commissioner Benoit Préfontaine, Australian High Commissioner Julia Niblett, and Netherlands’ Ambassador Leoni Margaretha Cuelenaere, were present.

Besides, envoys from the USA, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Norway, Pakistan, Denmark, Sweden, Vietnam, France, the Maldives, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Iran, the EU and some other countries and international organisations attended the programme.

Apart from Fakhrul, BNP senior leaders Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mahbubur Rahman, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Abdullah Al Noman, Hafizuddin Ahed, Abdul Awal Mintoo, Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, Mir Mohammad Nasir, Selima Rahman, Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed were, among others, present.