'No choice but to elect patriotic nationalist force'

Dhaka, Aug 26: Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia today said there was no alternative but to elect a government of patriotic nationalist force in the upcoming general election as the next polls were very important both for the nation and peace and stability of the region.

Begum Khaleda Zia, also chairperson of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), made the remarks while inaugurating BNP National Executive Committee meeting at the PM office as part of preparation for the forthcoming national elections-prefixed with political contentions sponsored by their opponents.

Her four-party coalition government with fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Oikya Jote as major allies will hand over the power in October this year to a non-party interim authority to conduct the next polls slated for January next year.

The Prime Minister said the world situation had completely changed and become complicated since her government assumed office in 2001, making it tough to handle domestic affairs too.

The country's situation, as such, would have turned serious if BNP-led alliance government had not remained in power during that vulnerable time, she said.

''Due to our balanced policy it has been possible to keep stability in all sectors of the country, and this trend will have to continue,'' Begum Khaleda Zia told the assembly of her party's entire hierarchy, meeting after five years.

''In this perspective, the upcoming general election is very important not only for BNP but for the country too, for the present and the future and for peace and stability in this region,'' she said.

''There is no alternative but to get patriotic nationalist forces elected in this election,'' she said.

About 400 leaders, Ministers and MPs belonging to the BNP Standing Committee, Khaleda's Advisory Council, Executive Committee and Presidents and General Secretaries of BNP's front organisations attended the meeting.

UNI