Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior leader Shamsuzzaman Dudu on Sunday urged the Prime Minister either to prove that their party chief Khaleda Zia took BNP to power by giving an undertaking to India in 2001 or apologise to the nation for making a ‘false’ statement.

Turning down the PM’s allegation, another BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan said it is a historical fact that BNP did not sell gas to India after coming to power in 2001.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina usually a garrulous person, but she often makes reckless comments. She yesterday (Saturday) said BNP had come to power by giving an undertaking to sell gas to India. Usually undertaking is given in police stations. Had BNP given any undertaking it would have done it by signing on any paper,” Dudu said.

Speaking at a human chain programme, the BNP leader further said, “You (PM) show people the paper as an evidence. Or else, apologise to the nation for resorting to lies.”

Bangladesh Islamic Party’s Dhaka city unit arranged the programme in front of National Press Club, protesting the recent gas price hike and demanding the removal of Greek Goddess’ statue from the Supreme Court’s premises.

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at programme said, “When a US company had wanted to sell gas to India just before the national election in 2001, Khaleda Zia took BNP to power through giving an undertaking of selling gas. But, I didn't give any undertaking as I wanted to utilise the country's resources for people's welfare.”

The Prime Minister came up with the comment as BNP leaders for a few days have been making anti-Indian comments and urging Sheikh Hasina not to sign any defence and military deal with India during her upcoming visit.

Reacting to Hasina’s comment, Dudu, a BNP vice chairman, said it is Awami League, not BNP, is tarrying to sell the country to the neighbouring country.

About the next general election, he said no one believes that a fair and credible election can be held under Sheikh Hasina.

He urged the government to take a step to install an election-time non-partisan and neutral administration for the sake of fair polls.

Speaking at a discussion, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said people gave BNP a massive mandate to go to power in 2001 as they had got fed up with the then Awami League’s misrule.

“The current government and its chief don’t believe that people can take them to power. That’s why they think other parties also came to power resorting to plots as they did it,” he observed.

Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal organised the discussion at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, marking BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman’s 11th imprisonment day.  

Nazrul said their party wants a fair election, not a game in the name of polls. “As a democratic party, we believe that only people can give any party mandate to govern the country through an election. We want an election where all parties can join and people can exercise their voting rights without fear and favour.”