Two influential ministers yesterday ridiculed the BNP for protesting the controversial statement by UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh David E Lockwood about the opposition party’s boycotting the conference of the Asian parliamentarians recently.

They spoke on the Issue in the Jatlya Sangsad during a discussion on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's being elected president of the newly launched Association of Aslan Parliaments for Peace last week.

• In the opening session of the conference on September 1, lockwtgd said the opposition’s absence had hurt the nation, not the ruling party. Later, he stood by his remark despite severe criticism by the opposition politicians and others.

Commerce and industries minister Tofail blamed the BNP leaders for creating the ground for Lockwood to make such a comment. The BNP leaders are used to speak against us to the foreign diplomats whenever they get a chance. And now they have come under criticism by those foreigners."

Home minister Mohammad Nasim claimed that BNP had forced the foreign diplomat to criticise its absence in the peace conference. He ridiculed the BNP leaders for criticising a foreign diplomat whom they spoke to against the government over dinners.