BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the next general elections must be held under a non-party government -- whether it is caretaker or neutral one.

"Before it, the government must have to resign from power. They will have to announce it as soon as possible, and announcement must be made after resignation from power. Without it, question doesn't arise for any dialogue at all," he said while addressing a press conference at the BNP Chairperson's political office at Gulshan in the capital on Thursday (July 6) afternoon.

Earlier, BNP leaders held a meeting with the 12-party alliance leaders.Mirza Fakhrul said: "We have been struggling for realising people's rights, their freedom of speech, and restoring their human rights. The present illegal government has destroyed all the achievements of Bangladesh in a very planned way just after ascending to power."

Claiming that the BNP's movement has already reached at a final stage, he said, "It is very important year for Bangladesh and its people, because the Awami League government has orchestrated a plot to hold another fake election through intimidating voters, rigging of votes, and announcing the election results in favour of it. But, people of the country will never accept an election based on electoral frauds in any way.

"We want to assert it clearly that no future elections will be free, fair and impartial under this illegal Awami League government which came to power massive vote rigging. People of Bangladesh will never accept any election under this government. We have already raised our demand saying clearly that the next general elections must be held under a non-party neutral caretaker government," he said.

Fakhrul said BNP would announce a joint declaration together with other political parties before launching its final movement.

Replying to a query of a journalist, Mirza Fakhrul said they will welcome Awami League if it can come to power again taking part in an election under a non-party neutral government.

According to him, the next general election is a very important election for Bangladesh. The very existence of the nation, its freedom and its ability to build a welfare state will depend on the next general election. "Because of it, we have said the next election must be held under a non-party neutral government and the government must have to resign from power to pave the way for it."

On behalf of BNP, the party's standing committee member Begum Selima Rahman and vice chairman Abdul Awal Minto were present at the meeting.

On behalf of the 12-party alliance, the meeting was attended by Jatiya Party chairman Mostofa Jamal Haider, Muhammad Ibrahim Bir Pratik, Jatiya Dal's chairman Syed Ehsanul Huda, Jamiyate Olamaye Islam secretary general Mufti Golam Mohiuddin Ikram, NAP (Bhasani) chairman Advocate Azharul Islam, Jagpa's senior vice president Rashed Prodhan, Islami Oikya Jote secretary general Abdul Karim, Bangladesh Justice Party president Dr Syed Javed Mohammad Saleh Uddin, Bangladesh Muslim League (BML) secretary general Md Nazrul Islam, Bangladesh Islamic Party secretary general Advocate Abul Kashem and Jatiya Party secretary general Ahsan Habib Lincoln.