Armed with a massive electoral mandate, BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia on Wednesday night met Bangladesh President Shahbuddin Ahmed and staked claim to form a new government by Sunday even as her arch rival Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League rubbished the results and threatened to boycott parliament if its demand for fresh franchise was not accepted. Begum Zia, 56, who steered BNP-led four-party combine to two-thirds majority in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament), requested the president to ensure the formal notification of election results at the earliest, BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan told reporters after the 50-minute meeting between the two leaders.
Bhuiyan said BNP and its allies, including Jamaat-e-Islami, wanted the new government to be sworn in by October 7, a day before repolling is held in 42 centres spread across 16 constituencies. With results of 283 constituencies out, BNP and its allies have secured 202 seats and Awami League bagged 61.
Bureau Report