'Tarique will return in November'

 
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman will return to Bangladesh in November, party's standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said.

He came up with the optimism while talking to journalists at his Gulshan residence in Dhaka on Friday.

Salahuddin Ahmed said, "The exact date will be announced soon and hoped the return would occur in mid-November."

Tarique has been living in London for the past 17 years after leaving the country with his family during the 2008 state of emergency.

About the party's preparation for the upcoming national election, he said, "Party's single candidates for 200 constituencies would be given 'green signal' in October so that they can start election campaign."

Regarding the RPO (Representation of the People Order) amendments, the BNP leader said, BNP agree with many of the amendments of the RPO except the provision under sub-section 20/1 which dictates that the parties of an alliance should be run in the elections with their own electoral symbol. 

"Under the circumstances," Salahuddin said, "Smaller parties will not be encouraged to form alliances. If this happens, senior leaders of smaller parties will not get any benefit."

"Why this type of RPO has been passed unilaterally?" he asked.

Stating that BNP wants a rich parliament with multi-party participation, Salahuddin called for reconsidering the RPO amendment for the sake of fair election. 

He also said BNP will send a letter to the Election Commission giving objections about the amendment of the RPO.
Salahuddin also mentioned that political discussions are taking place with the NCP. "However, we have to wait to see whether the BNP and the NCP form an alliance." 

"There have been no formal discussions with the NCP regarding forming a coalition," he added.