Bangladesh News

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday said if the grand alliance’s demand for fair election is not fulfilled by January 8, a non-stop siege for 10 days will be enforced to resist “vote thieves.”
Addressing a meeting of Jatiya Sramik League at the AL’s Dhanmondi office, she urged the police, Rab and BDR to resist the “vote thieves”, otherwise, she said, “those who will cooperate with them will also be identified as thieves.”

“We’ve tried our best to participate in the election but we cannot step into a trap of a stage-managed election and give it legitimacy,” she said.

Hasina, also the leader of the grand alliance, said the blueprint for rigging election is in place. To participate in such election means acceptance of a rigged election, she said.

Criticising the president, she said assuming office of the chief adviser by violating the constitution, he now refers to constitution for holding the election within 90 days.

She cautioned the chief adviser of bad consequences of arresting and torturing her party leaders and workers.

Sramik League president Abdul Matin Master was present at the meeting, which was also addressed by its General Secretary Roy Ramesh.

Earlier, Hasina while exchanging views with the members of Awami Swechchhasebak League asked the civil administration, army and law enforcers not to cooperate with those who intend to rig the election.

“Today people stand on one side while the vote thieves on the other. Take decision as to which side you will choose…There is no place for vote thieves in this soil. We want to end the game of vote thieves through movement,” she said.

The AL chief, who earlier announced the boycott of the January 22 election, said her party cannot give legitimacy to the polls, results of which have been prepared in advance.

“We want a free, fair and credible election where people can vote freely to choose their government,” she said.

About Khaleda Zia’s persistent demand for election within 90 days, Hasina said although the BNP chairperson refers to 90 days, she keeps mum about Articles 121 and 122 of the constitution that mentions a flawless electoral roll. “How a fair election is possible without a fair voter list?”

Reminding the consequences of the election on February 15 in 1996, she said a one-party election will not be allowed.

She urged the people to boycott the January 22 election and said: “Don’t turn up at the polling centres on January 22. Resist the unilateral election.”

Awami League leaders Motia Chowdhury and Obaidul Quader and Swechchhasebak League General Secretary Pankaj Debnath were present in the meeting presided over by Bahauddin Nasim, president of Swechchhasebak League.