Nasim: Menon sorry for remarks creating confusion over election

The 14-Party Alliance spokesperson Mohammed Nasim has said Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon has apologized for the confusion created because of his remarks regarding the 11th general election.

Nasim, also Awami League presidium member, made the statement while talking to reporters after a meeting of the coalition at his house in Dhaka's Dhanmondi on Monday.

He said: "In his response to the letter (sent to Menon by the alliance seeking clarification), he claimed that he was quoted out of context, which led to the confusion. 

“Menon’s stance is the same as that of the alliance regarding the election."

The Awami League leader also said the coalition was satisfied with the explanation provided in the letter by Menon about his comments.

Among others, Jatiya Party (Manju) Secretary General Sheikh Shahidul Islam, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSoD) President Hasanul Haq Inu and General Secretary Nazmul Haque, Workers' Party general secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha, and Awami League Liberation War Affairs Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das, were present at the meeting, which was chaired by Nasim.

At the meeting, it was decided that the alliance will have an elaborate discussion about Menon's letter and try to keep the unity of the party intact by resolving any misunderstandings.

On October 19, speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session of the district unit conference of his party in Barisal city, Menon said people could not cast their votes in the election (held on December 30, 2018).

He went on to say in his speech that the people of the country could not even cast their votes in the Union Parishad and Upazila Parishad elections. 

Later, in a press release on October 20, Menon, also a former minister in a previous Awami League-led government said the 11th parliamentary election was held successfully, but the experiences were not good.

Menon's statement caused a huge stir in the political arena.