Awami League Presidium member and Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque has stood by his recent remarks on arresting the BNP leaders and the proposal for their release.

“I did not say anything wrong [in the interview]. The statement is absolutely correct,” he told reporters at the secretariat on Monday when asked about the issue.

While giving an interview on the private television channel, Channel 24, Razzaque said the BNP men were kept in jail as part of a plan to stop violence in the country, and the party did not accept the proposal to join the polls in exchange for the prompt release of all its arrested leaders and activists.

Meanwhile, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader termed the proposal “bizarre” and said the statement was Razzaque’s personal opinion.

“Neither the government nor the party made such a proposal,” Quader added.

When his attention was drawn to Quader's statement, Razzaque said, "It was not the statement of the party. Certainly, it was my personal remarks.”

He said, “… the Awami League sincerely wanted the BNP to participate in the polls. While conveying this, I made some speeches that day. I also told Channel 24 that the BNP wants the election to be thwarted.”