Election to be held under Hasina: AL
Dhaka city south and north units of the ruling Awami League organise a ‘peace rally’ at the Baitul Mukarram south gate in the capital on Wednesday. — Sony Ramany
Ruling Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Wednesday played down the one-point demand of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and insisted that the next general election would be held under Sheikh Hasina.
Quader was responding to the one-point demand announced by the BNP seeking the resignation of the Awami League government at a rally held in front of its party office at Naya Paltan in the capital.
Awami League’s Dhaka north and south city units organised the ‘peace rally’ apparently in counter of BNP’s programme.
Huge numbers of the Awami League and its front organisations have joined the rally with processions since the afternoon. The programme formally started at 3:00pm, chaired by Dhaka south unit president Abu Ahmed Mannafi.
Speaking as the chief guest, Quader said that the people of Bangladesh wanted the next general elections to be held under the supervision of the Sheikh Hasina government.
BNP knows that they will not win in the free and fair general election, so they are not interested in participating in the election, he said.
Quader said that the next general election would be held as per the constitution in a free, fair, and credible manner.
He requested that foreign guests not interfere in Bangladesh’s internal affairs.
Quader also said that they would not dialogue with the BNP on the next general election.
‘Those whose hands are blood-stained, we cannot hold any dialogue with them,’ he said.
Urging the party activists to be ready to take the field at any time, he said, ‘The game will be played till the elections. Don’t leave the field. You’ll come when you call. ’
Deputy leader of the parliament, Matia Chowdhury, said that the BNP did not like democracy and the development of the country, and they had destroyed democracy and introduced corruption when they were in power.
Awami League presidium member Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said that the BNP was a ‘terrorist political party’ and they were now trying to come to power with the help of foreigners.
Awami League joint general secretary Hasan Mahmud said that BNP had given single-point movement programmes against the Awami League government several times, but they all failed, and this time they would also fail.
Presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak said that the BNP could not tolerate the country’s development, so they opposed the Awami League government.
Speaking at the peace rally, Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said the Awami League would not return home until winning the next election.
‘Dhaka will be occupied from today. I will go back home after winning the next national election, ’ he said.
‘In January, we will show what a fair election is, what kind and what it is,’ Taposh added.
Many units of the ruling group refused to lower banners at the ‘peace rally’ despite repeated requests from leaders and even threats of expulsion.
The entire front of the rally stage was surrounded by these banners carrying pictures of ward and thana-level leaders who were desperate to make their presence felt. Some banners projected different aspirations for leaders, including party positions and election nominations.
At one stage, Awami League organising secretary Mirza Azam took the microphone and said, ‘Those who are not taking down banners will face consequences. We will make a list, expel them, and teach them politics,’ he said.
Before the ‘peace rally’ started formally at 3:00pm, witnesses said two groups of party activists threw chairs at each other in front of the stage. Some leaders came down from the stage and dissuaded the bickering groups.
New Age
