Dhaka, Nov. 8 -- BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Saturday cautioned the interim government against 'displaying excessive assertiveness' by setting a seven-day deadline for achieving political consensus on the referendum issue, saying such an approach 'does not befit' a non-elected administration.

"The government must remember it is not an elected one. Your mandate extends only to holding a free and fair election, and BNP's support will continue only up to that point," he said while speaking at a programme organised by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal in the capital.

Criticising the government for invoking other parties' names to call BNP for talks, he said, "This is not a decent approach. Invite us directly if you truly want d...