Dhaka, April 30 -- Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said the BNP made compromises over the July National Charter to ensure the general election was not delayed.

Speaking on the thanksgiving motion for the president's address on Thursday, he said the party had chosen not to raise certain objections at the time in the interest of unity and to keep the electoral process on track.

Salahuddin said the BNP's position had been clear from the beginning: the party would not accept any provision outside the framework of the signed July National Charter.

The minister suggested that the party took this stance due to fears that the election might be blocked under the pretext of reforms.

He told the House that they had a sense of urgency and sign...