Hasina urges people to vote

She made this appeal at two separate public rallies in Munshiganj on her second and last day of the first leg of her election campaign that began on Thursday.

Hasina began her campaign even before releasing her party’s pre-election manifesto before the poll in which more than half of the seats have been won uncontested by the Awami League and allies with the BNP boycotting the polls.

The main opposition had been demanding a non-party government to oversee the election.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has called a ‘march for democracy’ in Dhaka on Sunday to prevent the holding of the Jan 5 elections.

In this context, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has appealed to the people to come to polling centres and vote.

She alleged that BNP did not join the polls as its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami had been barred by the court.

“The elections will be held on Jan 5. I call upon you all to go to the polling centres and cast your votes. You should have preparations, if anyone tries to prevent you,” the Prime Minister said.

She referred BNP and its allies’ lengthy blockades and shutdown that led to innocent people being killed in arson attacks and bomb blasts.

She said her government would try those responsible for the recent killings.

And her archrival Khaleda Zia would be “accused for giving orders”.

She also referred BNP chairperson’s “corruptions” when she was in power and said she had money to live in luxuries. But poor people were the worst hit during the blockades that she said forced businesses to keep shut.

“You call blockade and watch television, eat chicken roast, drink chicken soup, and poor people die of hunger. This is the BNP’s job,” she said.

In two separate rallies, she introduced her candidates Shukumar Ranjan Ghosh in Munshiganj-1 constituency and Shagufta Yeasmin Emili Munshiganj-2 constituency and urged people to vote for them.

Awami League will announce its party pre-elections pledge on Saturday.