Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday told her Cabinet colleagues that her government has taken up the challenge to hold the upcoming parliamentary election by January 5 and also deal with the ongoing political violence by opposition activists, a senior minister told reporters at the Secretariat. “There is no way the upcoming election can be held by bypassing the existing Constitution. Unconstitutional elements are likely to come to power if we violate the Constitution,” the minister said, quoting the PM, after the Cabinet meeting. “We will hold the general election at a proper time irrespective of whether any political party, such as the Jatiya Party, is going to participate in it or not. No power can foil the holding of the election,” the minister added, further quoting Sheikh Hasina.
Sheikh Hasina also urged her party leaders and activists to take steps at their respective constituencies to arrange the required number of voters during the elections.
The Premier informed her colleagues about the discussion with Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, assistant secretary general for political affairs of the United Nations. The PM said there was no way the election schedule could be deferred. “If the main opposition party agrees to participate in the polls, then the Election Commission can take its decision in accordance with the Constitution,” the minister further said, quoting the PM.
The Prime Minister informed her colleagues that they were holding a dialogue with the opposition party and simultaneously making preparations for the election, though the opposition leaders have disagreed.
Sheikh Hasina directed her colleagues to tackle the ongoing political violence by organising different political programmes to mark Victory Day.
The Premier advised the ministers to take necessary steps to hold the rally of the freedom fighters, scheduled to be held on December 10, to thwart the destructive activities of the anti-independence force of Jamaat-Shibir.
Sheikh Hasina also criticised the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP’s) newly assigned spokesperson, Salauddin Ahmed, who has announced a movement and programmes through video messages after going into hiding to evade arrest.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet on Monday adopted a condolence motion on the death of the first black South African president and anti-apartheid icon, Nelson Mandela, terming him a true friend of Bangladesh. The condolence motion was adopted at the weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at the Bangladesh Secretariat, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. This was the second Cabinet meeting of the poll-time government.
Cabinet secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan briefed reporters after the meeting. He said in the condolence motion, the Cabinet mentioned Nelson Mandela’s contributions to global peace, his true love for Bangladesh, his deep affection for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his close relationship with Sheikh Hasina.
The Cabinet said Mandela became a true symbol of world peace, unity, creativity, democracy and equality through his political prudence and human philosophy.
The Cabinet members mentioned that the world has lost a great, prudent, and courageous leader on his death. The motion conveyed sympathy to Mandela’s family, the government and the people of South Africa.
On Friday, Bangladesh government announced a three-day national mourning, beginning on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet approved the draft of the National Oceanography Research Institute Act, 2013, in order to impart a permanent shape to the institute under a project at Ramu in Cox’s Bazar.
The Cabinet was apprised about the 11 ordinances promulgated under the Finance Division during the period from August 15, 1975 to April 9, 1979 on the directives of the Cabinet on the formulation of laws in new forms.
-With The Independent input
