Dhaka: Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said many BNP leaders want to participate in the upazila parishad elections and they have the proof of that, reports the UNB.

‘Whatever the decision at the centre is, the fact is that many BNP leaders want to participate in the election, and we have the evidence of that,’ said Quader while selling nomination papers for the upcoming upazila parishad polls at the party president’s Dhanmondi office.

‘The number of the BNP candidates who won the last Upazila Parishad Polls is higher, and I don’t think those who were elected last time will leave the election field empty,’ said Obaidul, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister.

BNP has officially declared that it will not participate in the local body polls as it thinks no fair election is possible under the Awami League government.

Referring to BNP’s threat to wage a movement, Obaidul said, ‘Despite having a number of issues to wage a movement, BNP earlier failed to wake up people. But, now they want to wage a movement when there’s no issue.’