Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged Khaleda Zia to give names of the MPs for including them in the all-party cabinet, saying that she is ready to offer any Ministry that the opposition leader wants. “Only BNP did not join the all-party (election-time) cabinet. The Election Commission is working independently and it is also independent financially. Therefore, I’ll urge the opposition leader to join the election. If there is any doubt about the election, then you (Khaleda) could give names of the MPs who could be placed in the all-party cabinet… you will be given the ministry you want,” she said.Hasina, also the president of the ruling Awami League, made observations in her introductory remarks at a view-exchange meeting with the party’s nomination seekers at her official Ganobhaban residence in the afternoon. Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam gave the welcome address on the occasion with senior party leaders present.
Some 3,000 nomination seekers from across the country joined the meeting, ahead of the upcoming national election. The Prime Minister said the nation will have to start from a certain point by holding the next general election in a democratic process as per the Constitution.
“Elections took place on ad-hoc basis over the last 38 years… we don’t want any more ad-hoc measures for the future generation. We want the election to be held as per the constitutional and democratic process so that our future generation will get a fair, disciplined life.” She asked her party leaders as well as the nomination seekers to work unitedly for the sake of the country, it’s people, democracy and constitutional process, as they had done before the national election in 2008, so that none could foil the spirit of the war of liberation.
The Awami League president said that only then her party will be able to retain office through gaining peoples’ mandate and trust, when the AL leaders and workers will work unitedly for gaining votes for ‘boat’. Whenever there is Awami League in power, people get peace and security. “Whoever we give nominations, you’ll have to work blindly for the symbol ‘Boat’, no need to see the candidates,” Hasina said. “If the Awami League participates in the polls with its allies, then some seats would have to be left for the partners of the alliance. You’ll have to accept this and work accordingly,” Mentioning that the aspirant candidates of her party this time are much higher compared to 300 seats, the AL president said that nominations would be given based on the opinions of the grassroots leaders and surveys. All the worthy candidates may not get the nomination. “You’ll have to keep in mind that the BNP-Jamaat alliance doesn’t want Bangladesh to be built in light with the spirit of the war of liberation. They also do not want the progress that we’ve achieved to continue. We’ve initiated many works and would have to accomplish those,” Regarding the all-party polls-time Cabinet, Hasina said the President had told her to make the cabinet smaller and following his advice she had taken steps accordingly. She added that the President will now request the Election Commission to announce the election schedule. The Prime Minister said that her government has amended the constitution and restored the spirit of the war of liberation so that none could usurp power in future through unconstitutional manner while democracy is upheld and none could play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people. She said although the opposition had only 10 percent of parliament seats, she had earlier urged the opposition to take part in the formation of an all-party government and thus join the election because Awami League had always worked for establishing the rights of the common people. “Our aim is to ensure the basic and constitutional rights of common people. We want to hold the next election in such a way as practiced in other parliamentary system of democracies so that there is no longer any game over election, so none could grab power through unconstitutional means and foil the democracy. We’re also working to this end.” Blasting the BNP-Jamaat alliance government for making fake voter list of 1.23 crore the last time, Hasina said: “Holding free and fair election is our goal as this is our main strength and the main base of people’s empowerment.” Accusing the opposition leader for her ‘repeated attempts to save the war criminals’, Hasina said that it was very natural for her (Khaleda) as she doesn’t believe in the war of liberation and also welfare of the people. “Trying to protect the war criminals is their (BNP-Jamaat) character. But, I want to make it clear that the trial of the war criminals will be held in the soil of Bangladesh and the verdicts executed,” Expressing her firm optimism that Bangladesh would set example in global arena through holding a fair election, the Prime Minister also renewed her resolve to build a hunger and poverty-free, prosperous, middle income country by 2021 in light with the spirit of the war of liberation. – UNB
