PM reaffirmed determination to hold free, fair election in Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reiterated that the country‍‍`s next parliamentary election will be free, fair and credible.

The prime minister said this while addressing a civic reception accorded to her at a hotel here.

New York Metropolitan Awami League organised the reception on Friday evening.

The premier is now in New York to attend the 78th UNGA session.

Hasina, also the chief of ruling Awami League, said that BNP doesn’t want election. 

“Actually, does BNP want the election? How do they want the election? Who is their leader?,” she questioned.

“Fugitive convict, money thief, arms smuggler, murderer, grenade launcher of August 21 (is their leader);  if this is the leader of a party then why should people vote for that party and him,” she wondered.

She mentioned that BNP didn’t get votes in the 2008 election as well as didn’t participate in the 2014 election.  

She mentioned that BNP killed people by arson attacks in the name of preventing the election.

“How many lives have been taken? If you still see the face of those burnt people; how terrible! It seems that those who did it despicable.”

Regarding the upcoming elections due in first week of January, Hasina vowed to make it free, fair and impartial. 

“People will vote correctly," she told the audience.

She said the people of Bangladesh have at least realised this that they got freedom by voting for boat (AL’s election symbol).

She mentioned that the fate of the people has changed as a result of voting for this symbol, boat. 

“The image of Bangladesh has been brightened all over the world,” she said.

The prime minister called upon all not to pay heed to the false propaganda by vested quarters.

“When world leaders today recognise (the success of Bangladesh), we shouldn’t need to pay heed to what a few scumbags are saying,” she said.

She mentioned that those convicted, who committed various crimes, may have lost their jobs in different ways.

“Now they’ve taken shelter in different countries of the world and are spreading slanders through different social media and apps to cover up their misdeeds," she said.

Urging all to unmask the faces of slanderers, Hasina said that their characters should be exposed when they spread lies.