The coming election will be held under the current government, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid a barrage of opposition objections.
“It is our goal to ensure that the election is in line with the country’s Constitution. The practice of pursuing democracy and polls that follow the Constitution must begin somewhere to prevent the nation from plunging into uncertainty every time.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was speaking to grass-roots leaders in a discussion at Ganabhaban on Wednesday.
As per the Constitution, the election must be held 90 days before parliament’s term ends. Therefore, the election has to be held between Oct 24 and Jan 24.
The Prime Minister had said in a meeting with government secretaries on Monday that the government, according to the Constitution, would remain in power till Jan 24. Parliament, too, would remain during those 90 days, though without any session.
The main opposition campaigning for a neutral poll-time government strongly reacted to the plans.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia demanded that parliament be dissolved before the election.
BNP spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the Prime Minister’s comment had killed all possibilities of a consensus.
Sheikh Hasina again dismissed opposition’s demands and said, “We will begin the practice of constitutionally bound elections and continuation of democracy with smooth transfer of power.”
“The election will be free and fair and power will be handed over to whoever the people elect.”
Source: Bd news24