Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on Saturday cautioned people including party candidates against possible election boycott by the opposition in the middle of voting as part of a trick and advised them to stay in centers still the polls were ended.
“I want to caution all that there is a character of the BNP-Jamaat that they will say in the middle (of the elections) that we are boycotting the elections,” she said.
She added: In this case I will ask our candidates and candidates of other parties to continue polls until its completion”.
Sheikh Hasina’s comments came after she visited wounded party leader of Dinajpur Dr Mahbubur Rahman at Dhaka Combined Military Hospital (CMH) this morning as he was admitted to the facility with critical injuries caused by BNP-Jamaat attacks.
“I would like to tell all not to believe if the BNP says in the middle of
the polls that we withdraw ourselves from the election (race) and we will not
participate in it . . . this is their another game,” Sheikh Hasina said.
The AL president asked the party representatives and agents to stay in
every polling centre until announcement of the results.
“I would like to tell all, ranging from candidates to agents, who are participating in the elections of our party and alliance to stay till the last moment of the polls and return home with the results with the signature of the returning officers and presiding officers,” she said.
The premier expressed her firm optimism that the tomorrow’s elections will be held in a free, fair and peaceful manner. “It’s our expectation that the polls will be held in a free, fair and peaceful manner,” she said.
“If we could hold the elections peacefully, I can assure that local and foreign investments will increase further and the country’s economy will be strengthened,” she added.
Sheikh Hasina also expressed her firm belief that Bangladesh will be more developed and prosperous and emerge as ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Bangabandhu. “So, we want the polls to be held in peacefully in a free, fair and neutral manner,” she said.
“My word is that if the people cast votes for us, we will stay in power, otherwise not. I’m leaving it completely to the people,” she added.
The prime minister blasted the BNP-Jamaat for killing over six Awami League leaders and workers and injuring more than 450 party men.
She said the BNP-Jamaat is carrying out clandestine attacks on the AL leaders and workers across the country ahead of the polls. “They’re making complaints against us across the country on the one hand, and on the other, they are launching attacks on our leaders and workers,” she said.
Asking the party leaders and workers to have patience, Sheikh Hasina said: “The BNP-Jamaat killed so many party men of ours though we are in power. Everybody of our party will have to keep patience. Because we know that the people will cast votes for us,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that the people of the country expect a free, fair and impartial election tomorrow. “So, all will have to give attention so that none can make the elections questionable in anyway and the AL and Mohajote candidates, leaders and workers will have to keep patience in this regard,” she said.-BSS
bbarta/KF
