Delhi, New: A day before Bangladesh’s general elections, the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, advised political parties not to promote policies that would “disrupt” the country’s constitutional process, pointing to the nation’s growth trajectory under her 15-year leadership, according to news agency PTI. The president of the Awami League gave a speech to the country on Saturday, stating that her party always guaranteed the social and economic advancement of the populace.
“People’s access to food, security, healthcare, housing, work, education, and extensive infrastructure development is guaranteed. In a subtle jab at the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is boycotting the January 7 election, Prime Minister Hasina said, “My request to political parties and institutions that believe in democracy and the rule of law is to not indulge and fuel any idiosyncratic/peculiar ideas that disrupt the constitutional process in the country.”
In all, 1,500 candidates representing 27 political parties are running in the 12th National Parliamentary Elections, in addition to 436 independents. According to the Election Commission, there will be 42,000 polling places on Sunday where 119.6 million registered voters can cast ballots.
“We anticipate a free, impartial, and fair election. While administrative and law enforcement departments remain under the EC, the election commission now enjoys financial independence. The election is being run entirely independently by the election commission. The 76-year-old leader is quoted as adding, “Our government is providing the election commission with all kinds of support for conducting fair and peaceful elections.”
It should be mentioned that the BNP, led by former prime minister Khalida Zia, has demanded an interim non-party neutral administration to conduct the election, and that government has rejected their demands. As a result, the BNP has called for a 48-hour nationwide general strike.
With a focus on her party’s objectives to transform Bangladesh into a “Smart Bangladesh” by 2041, Prime Minister Hasina stated that, in comparison to Bangladesh fifteen years ago, “people’s quality of life has improved and people today dream of a better life.”
