‘Perfect’ polls not possible anywhere in world: Quader

Awami League (AL) general secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said nowhere in the world general elections are hundred per cent perfect. Quader, who is also the road transport and bridges minister, was talking to reporters at Setu Bhaban in Mohakhali area of the city. His comment came up as a response to a remark by Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary general, on the December 30 elections. On Friday, asked about the allegations of vote rigging, intimidation and crackdown on the opposition during the national polls, Stéphane Dujarric had said: “It is obvious that the elections were not perfect.” He was speaking at a press conference at the UN headquarters. “The UN said the December 30 polls were not perfect, but a perfect election never takes place anywhere around the globe,” said Quader.

The Jatiya Oikyafront has been demanding cancellation of election results and holding of a re-election under a nonpartisan poll-time government. The AL-led Grand Alliance secured a landslide victory in the December 30 polls by winning 288 seats out of the total 299. The opposition alliance, Jatiya Oikyafront, won in only eight constituencies. About the Oikyafront’s call for a national dialogue, Quader said: “Dialogue is part of the democratic process. We had held talks with the political parities before the national polls. But I think there is no necessity of holding a dialogue over the polls right now.”

He also said the UN did not call for holding talks over the recently held national polls. It had only said the all stakeholders of Bangladesh politics should engage in meaningful dialogues, he added.

Perfect polls not possible anywhere in world: Quader

Awami League (AL) general secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said nowhere in the world general elections are hundred per cent perfect. Quader, who is also the road transport and bridges minister, was talking to reporters at Setu Bhaban in Mohakhali area of the city. His comment came up as a response to a remark by Stphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary general, on the December 30 elections. On Friday, asked about the allegations of vote rigging, intimidation and crackdown on the opposition during the national polls, Stphane Dujarric had said: It is obvious that the elections were not perfect. He was speaking at a press conference at the UN headquarters. The UN said the December 30 polls were not perfect, but a perfect election never takes place anywhere around the globe, said Quader. The Jatiya Oikyafront has been demanding cancellation of election results and holding of a re-election under a nonpartisan poll-time government. The AL-led Grand Alliance secured a landslide victory in the December 30 polls by winning 288 seats out of the total 299. The opposition alliance, Jatiya Oikyafront, won in only eight constituencies. About the Oikyafronts call for a national dialogue, Quader said: Dialogue is part of the democratic process. We had held talks with the political parities before the national polls. But I think there is no necessity of holding a dialogue over the polls right now. He also said the UN did not call for holding talks over the recently held national polls. It had only said the all stakeholders of Bangladesh politics should engage in meaningful dialogues, he added.