Election won’t be held as per anyone’s prescription: Quader

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said that the country’s election won’t be held as per anyone‍‍`s prescription. It will be held according to the constitution, he said.

He came up with the remarks while talking to journalists in the conference room of the Road, Transport and Highway Division at the Secretariat on the first working day after the Eid-ul-Azha holidays.

“The election in Bangladesh won’t be held as per anyone‍‍`s prescription; it will be held following the constitution, keeping an election-time government like other democratic countries in the world,” he said.

Asked whether there is "foreign intervention" regarding the election, Quader said that no one is intervening, perhaps some are giving suggestions and sharing thoughts.

“Many (foreigners) talk about fair elections, and we are listening. We will listen and accept suggestions, but there is no need to be concerned. We won‍‍`t follow anyone‍‍`s directives,” he said.

“The government wants BNP‍‍`s participation in the election... We want a participatory election in the country; it will not be participatory unless BNP joins the election,” the Awami League general secretary said.

The minister also suggested that those who raise questions about the 2014 or 2018 elections in Bangladesh should concentrate on their own countries’ democracy.

The minister claimed that journey during Eid-ul-Azha was comfortable, as during Eid-ul-Fitr this year, due to initiatives taken by the government.