Election has been most free and fair after 1975: PM

Staff Correspondent: Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said Sunday’s parliamentary election will be written in golden letters in the history of Bangladesh.
“A free, fair, neutral and participatory election was held with spontaneous participation of the people,” she said.
Hasina made the remarks when the Awami League leaders and activists gathered at her official residence Ganabhaban to greet her on the party’s landslide victory on January 7 12th parliamentary election.
The victory has paved the way for her to become the prime minister for the fourth consecutive term and overall, fifth term in office.
Hasina thanked the Election Commission for holding a wonderful election with support from law enforcement forces, the armed forces and other people involved in it.
She mentioned that BNP cannot survive in Bangladesh as they follow the advice of their foreign masters.
“BNP was out to foil the national election. They have some masters. They don’t know the people of Bangladesh. It will not be possible to survive in Bangladesh by following the advice of these masters,” she said.
In this connection she said that Awami League has no foreign masters as the people are their strength.
She mentioned that BNP-Jamaat clique hatched many conspiracies to foil the election.
She said this election has been the most free, fair and disciplined, participatory and competitive of all the polls held after the 1975.
“We have proved that the election can be held in a free and fair manner under the Awami League government,” she said.
The prime minister asked the party leaders and workers to work in unison forgetting everything for the welfare of the people of the country and its people.
The AL President said many of the party nominated candidate have been defeated by independent candidates despite they were confident of their win.
She said that conspiracies are being hatched to cash in on the conflicts among the party men.
“So, work shoulder to shoulder for the welfare of the country and its people forgetting everything by obeying the people’s mandate,” she said.
Hasina said that the non-participation of some political parties in the election doesn’t matter as the participation of the masses matters.
“If the people don’t want the Awami League in power, we will show that by their mandate,” she said.

In this connection, she recalled that the mass people had overthrown BNP government within one and a half months as they assumed power through rigging in February 15, 1996 election.

“The people of Bangladesh never accept any injustice,” she said.

Younger daughter of the Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and sister of the Prime Minister, Sheikh Rehana presented a flower bouquet to her elder sister.

General Secretary of the AL Obaidul Quader also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier, the central executive body of the AL led by its general secretary greeted prime minister and the party president Sheikh Hasina with a flower bouquet.