Sheikh Hasina gives interim home ministry to BNP, appeals to join polls

Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has offered the home ministry in the all-party interim cabinet to opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in an appeal to it to join the polls, a media report said. “We have compromised a lot. I called her. I thought I should be compromising. But she (Khaleda Zia) doesn’t want an election,” bdnews24.com quoted Sheikh Hasina as saying Saturday. “How many ministries do you want? We can even give you the home ministry if you want. Come and join the polls,” Hasina added. [caption id=“attachment_1260153” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Sheikh Hasina. AFP [/caption] The prime minister said the polls would be held on schedule despite continuous protests by the opposition. The Election Commission last week announced that the country’s 10th parliamentary elections will be held Jan 5, 2014. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has asked Sheikh Hasina to bring back the non-party caretaker system, or else the opposition would not participate in the next elections because it fears the polls without the non-party caretaker government will not be free and fair. Both parties are seeking dialogue to end the impasse over the formation of the poll-time government, but no headway has been made so far. IANS