A day after the opposition called for presidential intervention to end the current political stand-off over the forthcoming national election, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told parliament that the president has given her permission to head the poll-time government. Urging opposition leader Khaleda Zia to take part in the upcoming election under the ‘interim’ government, the prime minister, in her valedictory speech in the last session of the ninth parliament, categorically said that no one can foil holding the ensuing general election to be held by January 25, as per the constitution.
The prime minister said the president had asked the Election Commission (EC) to make necessary preparations to hold the election, and the EC will declare the election schedule soon.
Hasina said portfolios of the ministers of the interim cabinet will be allocated on Thursday, through a gazette notification.
The prime minister assured that election under the interim government will be totally free and fair, and this interim poll-time cabinet will perform routine works only, and not make any policy decision.
The prime minister said despite repeated calls, the opposition leader did not join the poll-time cabinet. “I requested her to nominate her party lawmakers for the poll-time cabinet, citing the names of the preferred ministries, but she didn’t respond.”
Hasina pointed out that this session was the last of the incumbent parliament.
Underscoring the need for peaceful power transfer, the prime minister said that holding a free and fair election is the only solution, and she is committed to do so.
She also added that they have introduced voters’ lists with photographs, and transparent ballot boxes, to stop rigging.
“A total of 5,828 elections were held under the Awami League-led grand alliance government, but no one brought any allegation of manipulation in any of those elections,” she said, in her concluding address in parliament.
Referring to the government initiative to return the voting and constitutional rights of the people, she said that a committee, led by the deputy leader of the House, had been formed, to bring the 15th amendment to the constitution.
“We have brought the change in the constitution, to ensure voting rights of the people. The main objective behind amending the constitution was to prevent anyone taking over power unconstitutionally. Since 1975, power had never been transferred peacefully except in 2001,” she said.
Besides, basic rights of the people have been ensured through the amendment to the constitution, she added.
“We want to build a hunger- and poverty-free Sonar Bangla as it was dreamt by the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, by 2021, if the democratic process continues constitutionally,” the prime minister said.
Hasina also said that the government has taken a plan to produce nearly 24,000 megawatts of electricity, under long-, medium- and short-term programmes, to deliver electricity to every household across the country by 2021.
The government has added additional 6,675-megawatt electricity to the national grid, and increased the overall power generation to 9,673 megawatt from 3,268 megawatt, since it came to power on January 6, 2009, she added. Terming her government people-friendly, Hasina said that the country has achieved tremendous progress over the last five years, as her government implemented various projects for the welfare of the people.
In this regard, she mentioned the stunning development in agriculture, power, health, education, Information and communication technology (ITC) and infrastructure.
People are now getting the benefits of the initiatives of her government, she added.
“We have also executed the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, as per court verdict. Trials of war criminals are continuing. We hope that we will be able to execute the verdicts of war criminals, if people voted us to power again,” Hasina said.
-With The Independent input
