Expressing determination to hold the next general elections in a free, fair and neutral manner to continue the trend of democracy in the country, Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina yesterday told parliament that her party would accept any decision made by the president to reconstitute the Election Commission, BSS reports. Sheikh Hasina said the president has taken an initiative for formation of the new EC and BNP has reached its plan and opinions to Bangabhaban.
"The honourable president will hold discussions with all political parties on the issue and constitute the EC and he would constitute the commission in the way he wants ... we would see what the president wants and accept it in that way," she said while talking about the president's initiative for holding a dialogue with political parties regarding the formation of the new Election Commission.
She also said that her party wants the continuation of smooth trend of democracy as it would accelerate the pace of the country's economic uplift. The premier made the comments while delivering her winding up speech of the 13th session of the 10th Jatiya Sangsad with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
Sheikh Hasina said her party Bangladesh Awami League always wants free, fair and neutral elections to further strengthen democracy.
"We waged movement for establishing rights to vote and food for which the leaders and workers of Awami League, Jubo League, Chhatra League and other associate organizations sacrificed their lives," she said.
Indicating BNP, the Leader of the House said many advices are heard from those who rigged elections in the past. "We knew very well that how the BNP rigged the 15th February polls and 1st October elections in 2001," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the people of the country also witnessed how the BNP played with 22nd January elections in 2006 and wanted to go to power through the polls.
"The BNP wanted to make their power permanent by preparing a fake voter list," she said. Referring to boycott of the January 5 elections in 2014 by the BNP, the prime minister said it was its wrong decision. "So why the countrymen would now pay price for it," she said. In this connection, the premier said the BNP-Jamaat nexus unleashed mayhem and rampage to foil the January 5 polls and they burnt over 150 people to death in the name of the movement. "For this Khaleda Zia will have to seek apology to the nation," she said.