Dhaka, Oct 18 – Bangladesh’s Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda on Wednesday showered praise on Awami League and its leaders after doing so on BNP and its founder Ziaur Rahman on Sunday.At the beginning of the Election Commission’s dialogue held with AL on Wednesday, the CEC lavishly praised the Awami League government saying that it has taken Bangladesh to the highway of development and the country has become a middle-income country under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership.
Noting that Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) is enjoying more freedom than that of any other countries in the world, he also said this independence has been given to the Commission by the Awami League government.
Earlier on Sunday, the CEC at the Commission’s dialogue with BNP said BNP founder late President Ziaur Rahman had revived multiparty democracy in the country.
Showering BNP with praises, he also said BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was elected Bangladesh’s first woman Prime Minister in 1991. BNP governments had contributions to many areas as it made primary education compulsory and female education free up to Class-XII, and established Open University, National University, Rapid Action Battalion, Anti-Corruption Commission and Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Ministry, the CEC added.
A 21-member AL delegation, led by its general secretary Obaidul Quader, joined the dialogue at 11 am and placed an 11-point proposal before the Election Commission.
Nurul Huda told the dialogue that most of the rules and regulations the current EC is following have been promulgated by the Awami League government.
After returning to power in 2008, the Awami League government, led by Sheikh Hasina, completed the trial of the killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the war criminals, and executed the court verdicts, the CEC added.
Describing Awami League as an old political party of the country, he said it led the nation and played a vital role during the Language Movement in 1952, Mass Uprising in 1969 and the Liberation War in 1971.
After the Liberation War, Nurul Huda said, Bangabandhu had presented the country a Constitution in less than a year and formed the first parliamentary government in 1973.
He said the country’s black chapter began with the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975.
Later, he said, Sheikh Hasina took the helm of Awami League and she earned the feat of becoming the first female opposition leader in the Muslim world.
Addressing the AL leaders who were present at the meeting, the CEC said, “The Commission arranged the dialogue to take suggestions and recommendations from you to hold a free, fair and acceptable election.”
Earlier the CEC had praised BNP’s founder Ziaur Rahman for restoring multi-party democracy and that the party had played important role in steering the country’s development. KH Nurul Huda also made mention of his experience of working with ministers of the BNP government when he was in active service. – UNB
