Dhaka: BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday warned that their party may review its decision to join the election if the proper atmosphere is not created and the arrest of its leaders and activists does not stop.

‘The country lacks the minimum election atmosphere. Our leaders and activists are being arrested continuously,’ said the BNP leader, reports the UNB.

Talking to reporters while collecting his party’s nomination paper at its Nayapaltan central office, he further said they are repeatedly calling upon the government to stop such acts.

Fakhrul said they decided to join the election as part of their movement for restoring democracy and freeing their chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail based on Oikyafront’s seven-point demand.

He said they want an end to ‘autocratic rule’ and restore democratic norms in the country through the election, he said.

Fakhrul said they will also free several thousand pro-democratic leaders and activists from jail through the election.

He said three nomination forms were collected for their chairperson Khaleda Zia who is now in jail.

Fakhrul said he is also collecting a party nomination paper to contest the election from Thakurgaon-1 constituency.