Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has termed the sudden insistence on holding free, fair and impartial elections in Bangladesh as "suspicious."

She made the remark while addressing a press conference at her official residence Ganabhaban in the capital on Friday afternoon.

The press conference was convened to brief the media about the outcome of her joining the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York.

"Why does so much insistence on a free, fair and impartial election when Bangladesh is making headway economically staying in discipline," she asked.

In an oblique reference to BNP, the prime minister asked, "Who is the opposition in parliament? Is it those who doesn't have a single seat in parliament? Why should those be called opposition party who can't go to parliament by contesting in an election?"

"Foreigners don't regard those as the opposition who bark on the street constantly," she said.

Referring to the BNP's allegation that the prime minister has returned from America in empty hands, she said she didn't want to respond to the allegation of BNP. "I just intend to tell the countrymen that all know how the BNP leaders tells lies holding a mike in hands."

"It's their habit to tell lies and undermine everything. I hope that the countrymen will remain cautious about it. Whatever they tell is false. Don't pay any heed to their lies. Don't believe what they say. It's my clarion call to the countrymen," she said.