Staff Correspondent

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said Bangladesh wants peace and stability instead of conflict to keep the wheel of development going.

"We don't want any conflict. We want peace and stability, and continuation of democratic trend," he said while talking to journalists as he began his election campaign in Sylhet on Thursday (December 21, 2023).

Momen, who is contesting from Sylhet-1 constituency, said the country has witnessed an unprecedented development over the last 15 years and that development needs to remain undisturbed.

He said people of this country sacrificed their lives for establishing democracy, justice and human rights.

Responding to a question, Momen said BNP made a mistake and they should have joined the election to boost their credibility as a political party.

"They have lost a chance and their acceptability is also lost," he said, referring to killing policemen and arson attacks on both private and public properties since October 28.

Saying that BNP lacks leadership and maturity, Momen said politics is for the welfare of people and the country, not for their destruction.

The foreign minister said the people with much enthusiasm will come to the polling centers to cast their votes freely.

"To increase voters' presence, we will go everywhere," he said, noting that many educated people refrain from casting their votes.

"I will request them to come to vote. I won’t ask them to vote for me… They can vote for their preferred candidates. We want a fair election, free of violence. We want to show the world a model election," Momen said.

Eight US Congress members recently sent a letter to Stephen Lamar, president and CEO of American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), saying that they think the minimum wage set for Bangladesh's garment workers is not enough. When Momen's attention was drawn in this regard, he said, "I thank them. They can do one thing. In New York, the hourly wage is 15 dollars. If they can make it 45 dollars and create a model, we can follow them. People in America are suffering due to high inflation."