Communications Minister Obaidul Quader has claimed the government is being “forced” to conduct the next general elections without the Opposition due to latter’s ‘adamant’ approach.
“It’s not a happy scenario to hold elections without the Opposition. But there’s no other way than holding an election,” he told reporters at the Secretariat on Monday.
Quader believed the situation would have been different had Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia taken a “positive” approach.
“The election is being organised to ensure the continuity of the Constitution. How do you expect to run a country without a government?” he asked, justifying going ahead with the next polls.
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He urged everyone to wait until Jan 5 before deciding how acceptable the next national election would be.
Quader said: “It’s solely for the observers to decide whether they would come. You have to wait until January to find out how much credible and acceptable the election will be.”
With only 12 days remaining for the elections, the Awami League Presidium member saw no chances of an understanding between the government and the Opposition, which has boycotted the polls demanding a non-party government’s supervision in elections.
He hoped the 11th parliamentary polls would be participated by all.
At a separate programme, Industries Minister Tofail Ahmed said all over the world national elections are held under the ruling government and stated that Bangladesh would not be an exception.
“We’d like to tell the international community that in democracies, the ruling dispensation organises polls. Why would Bangladesh be different?”
He pointed out that in several elections held under the Awami League-led government many Opposition-endorsed candidates had won.
“We have proved that elections under us will be fair and acceptable,” he said.
Source: Bd news24