Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday reiterated that the next general elections in Bangladesh would follow the other parliamentary democracies across the world.“The next general elections in Bangladesh will be held the way elections are being held in other parliamentary system of democracies,” she said during a meeting with peers and British MPs at her hotel on the last day of her UK visit.
Hasina claimed that all the elections in different tiers held during the tenure of the present government were free, fair and credible.
In this regard, she referred to the recently held four city corporation elections in Rahshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal, and freshly in Gazipur City Corporation where the Awami League-backed candidates lost the polls.
“Of the five city corporations, some were the strongholds of Awami League, but its candidates had to concede defeats. This means the elections could be held in free, fair and neutral manner under this government,” she said.
The Prime Minister mentioned the holding of about 6,000 elections in different tiers in a free, fair and peaceful manner where no allegation was raised against the results.
Turning to the ‘Rana Plaza’ building collapse on April 24 this year where more than 1,100 RMG workers lost their lives, she said such incidents could take place anywhere in the world.
But, soon after the incident, the government took prompt steps to rescue the injured workers alive, give them proper treatment alongside providing financial assistance to the family members of the victims and the injured, she added.
Hasina also mentioned that after assuming office this time, her government increased the minimum wages of the garment workers to Tk 3,000 from Tk 1,600 and side by side gave attention for ensuring their other facilities.
She, however, noted that despite the rapid flourishing of the RMG industries in Bangladesh, the wage structure of the RMG workers as well as the infrastructures are yet get full shape.
The Prime Minister underscored maintaining good relations among the owners and worker, saying that the workers should cooperate with and assist the owners. “Otherwise, the (RMG) sector will incur losses and the workers will lose their jobs.”
The British MPs lauded the able leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and noted various achievements of Bangladesh in different fields.
Lord Tarek Ahmed, Dr Charles Tanok MP, Jim Fitzpatrick, Jim Fishpetric, MP, Baroness Polauddin and Richard Fuller MP were, among others, present on the occasion. – UNB
