Ruling Awami League’s general secretary Obaidul Quader on Monday said neither the government nor Awami League will interfere in the upcoming Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) elections.
“Very peaceful atmosphere is prevailing in Narayanganj on the eve of city corporation polls. People of Narayanganj city will vote by their choices,” he told the closing ceremony of a three-day cultural festival at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) auditorium in Dhaka city, reports BSS.
“Incumbent government or Awami League will not interfere in the polls,” Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, was quoted to have said.
His assurance followed apprehensions expressed by the BNP and its mayoral candidate in the NCC polls. Also, most of the recent local government elections including the ones in Dhaka and Chittagong city corporations, were plagued by allegations of rigging and manipulation.
However, the minister said the BNP has “old habit” of losing before election. “You will see from tomorrow that BNP will begin practicing their old habits by saying that vote is being rigged. They (BNP) have now become an ‘objection party’,” he added.
He said that BNP is suffering for their old mistakes, and added taking up decision timely is very crucial in any work.
“Prime minister Sheikh Hasina urged BNP to take part in 5 January election (in 2014). But the party did not respond to the call as they could not take right decision timely. So that they are suffering now for their mistakes,” he said adding that BNP very roughly had boycotted the prime minister’s invitation.
“If they did not boycott the invention, the country’s history of democracy could have been written differently. Now they (BNP) could have existence in the parliament,” the minister said.
Quader hoped BNP will not make mistake in the next general election and they will take part in it.
About the BNP’s meeting with president Abdul Hamid on issue of constituting search committee for the election commission, the Awami League general secretary said the BNP is very happy after taking part in dialogue with the president.
“They became happy in the past too. But after the formation of ‘search committee’, their happiness did not exist;” he said adding that “Let us see, now how long their happiness exist?”