Once again rejecting the opposition’s demand for restoration of a non-party caretaker government (CG), to oversee the next general elections, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Saturday, reiterated that the next polls will be held in the same way as it is held in other democratic countries. “No one will be allowed to play with the fate of the country’s democracy.The caretaker government system will never ever come back in the country, and no one will get a chance to invite trouble in that way again,” Sheikh Hasina said.
Hasina, also the president of the ruling Awami League, was addressing at a meeting for exchanging views with her party’s grassroots leaders from Faridpur district, at her official residence, Ganobhaban.
“Once upon a time, the opposition leader had said that no one is neutral, except mad persons and children, but, now, she is looking for neutral people,” the Prime Minister stated.
At the same time, the Premier also advised journalists and members of civil society, who want to bring back the caretaker government system again in the country, to oversee the next polls, to look at the role played by such a government in 2007.
Emphasising the need for holding free, fair and credible elections to continue the democratic process in the country, Hasina said the next general elections in the country will be held as in other countries of the world,
which have parliamentary democracy.
The Prime Minister alleged that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-Jamaat alliance wants to achieve state power by snatching the voting rights of the people, but the Awami League has always aspired to come to power with the people’s mandate, not through rigging of votes.
She said the vote belongs to the people and they will vote for candidates of their choice.”If they cast their votes in our favour, we will stay. Otherwise, we will be gone. That is quite clear.”
“We will return to power if the people of the country want, otherwise not. We want to strengthen the country’s democracy and to preserve the voting rights of the people,” she added.
Claiming that all elections held under the present government, including Jatiya Sangsad by-polls and local government elections, have been free and fair, the Prime Minister said the next general elections will be free, fair and credible, as her government wants to ensure the people’s voting rights.
“No allegation has been levelled about the results of these elections from any quarter,” she said. Hasina extended her thanks to the opposition leader for her decision to allow her party’s candidates to take part in the four city corporation elections. “And I hope she will participate in the next general elections as well,” she said.
Regarding the Election Commission, Hasina said the present panel was formed after a series of consultations with all political parties, by the then President, Zillur Rahman, after which, he formed a search committee.
“We have trust in the people and that is why we did not interfere in that process,” she said, adding that the present Election Commission is financially independent.
She mentioned that during any election, the law enforcement agencies and the public administration work under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission.
The Prime Minister alleged that the previous BNP-Jamaat government had turned the country into a haven for militancy and terrorism. However, she added, her government had curbed these social menaces with an iron hand, and improved the country’s image abroad.
Hasina also accused the leader of the opposition of instigating the killing of innocent people, torching of vehicles and damage to public property, under the pretext of organising a movement.
The Prime Minister listed various development programmes implemented by her government in education, healthcare, information and communications technology (ICT), communication and other infrastructure sectors, and said the country is moving ahead towards development and prosperity.
The Awami League president asked her party leaders and workers to strengthen the party’s organisational base at the grassroots level and project the government’s successes over the last four-and-a-half years to the country’s people.
-With The Independent input
