Staff correspondent :

Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said his party (AL) wants to win in a competitive election to be participated by all political parties, however BNP wants to flee away from election field.

“BNP’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has claimed that Awami League wants to score goal in an empty field. In fact, we never want to score goal in empty field. We want that BNP to participate in the next elections with their full strength,” he said.

“But as per BNP’s statements it seems that they want to flee away from the field as they are afraid of elections,” the minister said while exchanging views with reporters at the meeting room of the ministry at secretariat here.

Dr Hasan said, “I would like to urge Mirza Fakhrul Islam to come to election field and play with us. We want to win by competing. We want all political parties to take part in the upcoming elections as the countrymen can elect their future government.”

The minister said his party has faith in the countrymen. Bangladesh has changed in the last 15 years under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In the meantime the government has met most of the basic demands of the common people.

He said the whole country has come under electricity coverage. The countrymen have faith in us as their life and livelihood have changed during the tenure of the present government.

Replying to a query over prospective dialogue between the government and BNP on election issue, the minister said the Election Commission (EC) will organize the poll and AL is a party in field.

“BNP can lodge any complaint over polls with the EC as they are the election organizer. If the EC call the Awami League then we may go there,” he noted.

“I personally think that political party has a responsibility to take part in the polls. BNP had joined the 2018’s polls though they tried to make the elections questionable. They are continuing the ill attempts till now. But I hope that BNP will take part in the polls,” said Dr Hasan.

Replying to another query, the minister said BNP has no strength to resist the polls. Awami League has faced them in 2014, and BNP would never be able to create such situation again.

“The main issue is whether the countrymen would take part in the polls or not. The elections will be acceptable if the voters take part in the polls spontaneously,” he added.

Dr Hasan said, a slogan ‘Voter Bakshe Lathi Maro, Bangladesh Swadhin Koro’ (kick the ballot box, make Bangladesh independent) was given under the leadership of Maulana Bhashani during the 1970’s polls. But, Bangladesh would not have become independent if the 1970’s election had not been held with massive participation of the people, he said.

BNP and their allies didn’t take part in last city polls but the people took part in the elections while voter turnout was 50 percent, the minister said.

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