Khaleda up for city polls, worried about atmosphere.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia remained positive about contesting the city polls and asked all party activists to work for endorsed candidates in the elections scheduled for April 28. She however expressed concern about whether there would congenial atmosphere during the polls. She was talking to members of Shata Nagarik, a pro-BNP think-tank, Tuesday evening. A group of the Shata Nagarik, led by former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Emajuddin, entered the office around 8pm and came out after two hours. Meeting sources said Khaleda Zia expressed her positive stand about contesting the city polls through BNP-supported candidates. ‘She [Khaleda] is still positive about contesting city polls, but is concerned about whether there would be any congenial atmosphere for the polls and whether the polls are held in a fair and credible way’, said a source present at the meeting. ‘She had asked all activists to work for BNP-backed candidates’, he said.

The meeting discussed various aspects of the upcoming city polls, including laying groundwork, he said. Replying to a question about selecting single candidates for mayor posts from the BNP side, he said, ‘Khaleda said the final candidate would be declared after Election Commission’s scrutiny’. Journalist Mahfuzullah, academics Mahbubullah and Sukomol Barua, among others, attended the meeting. Meanwhile, missing BNP joint secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed’s wife Hasina Ahmed met BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia Tuesday night. She entered Khaleda’s Gulshan office around 8:15pm and had a half hour meeting with the BNP chief. Emerging from Khaleda’s office, a weeping Hasina got into her private vehicle right away and left without talking to journalists. Later, talking to New Age, she said, she had informed Khaleda that she was worried that Salah Uddin was yet to be traced out. ‘Khaleda Zia asked the government to return him as law enforcers took him away’, Hasina said. It was her second meeting with Khaleda since her husband went missing on March 10 from an Uttara house. Earlier on March 17, she met Khaleda with her younger son and younger daughter and her sister-in-law, at her Gulshan office.

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