The Awami League (AL) yesterday dubbed the 11th parliamentary election as historic and said the polls were free and fair. “Except for some stray incidents, the polls were held in a free, fair and peaceful manner. The election was historic one under any determiner as people from all walks of life cast their votes in favour of their respective candidates peacefully,” AL joint general secretary Abdur Rahman said at a post-poll briefing at party president Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office.

Rahman thanked the people for “casting their votes peacefully”. He also thanked Hasina for helping the Election Commission (EC) “to hold a free and fair election by resisting all challenges”. “Sheikh Hasina started the trend of holding the general election under a party government in a free, fair and peaceful manner for which we extend thanks to her astute leadership,” he said.

“Violence during the polls was lesser than previous times. Voting was suspended at only 16 polling stations in 299 constituencies. So, it has been proved that the polls were free and fair,” he added. About the BNP’s allegations of vote rigging by ruling party men, the AL leader said the opposition party was spreading lies about the polls because it sensed “the defeat of its candidates”.

Speaking at another post-poll briefing, HT Imam, political adviser to the Prime Minister, said that yesterday’s election has proved that free and polls are possible under the management of a party government. He also thanked all stakeholders of the national election for ‘assisting the EC to hold the polls in a free, fair and peaceful manner’. Imam, also the co-chairman of AL’s election steering committee, called upon party leaders and workers not to bring out processions to hail the victory of AL candidates.  He also said that as so far we were informed, Awami League led alliance was gaining victory in the elections.

On Sunday’s elections voting of only 16 centre of 12 election constituencies were suspended, Imam said. Moreover, a very less number of election killings and confrontations held in the yesterday’s election, HT Imam said.

A total of 12 people were killed in pre and in the elections day confrontations, where 10 were Awami League leaders and activist and two were ansar members, Imam said. The Awami League instructed the party leaders and activists not to leave the polling centers without getting final results from the centers in across the country.

The adviser to the prime minster Sheikh Hasina, Mashiur Rahman, Awami League central leader and relief and rehabilitation minster Mofazzol Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Shahe Alam Murad, Biplab Barua and others attended the press conference.