Next election will be fair, no doubt, PM tells media

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Sunday there is no doubt that the next general election would be held in a free and fair manner, report agencies.

"There's no doubt the election will be free and neutral... we're not there to rig votes," she said while addressing a press conference at her official residence Ganobhaban on Sunday.

The press conference was arranged to brief the media about the outcomes of her just-concluded visit to Nepal for attending the 4th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit.

"We're working for people. If people vote us, we'll be there in power again, otherwise not. I repeatedly said it. I mean what I say," Hasina said.

The Prime Minister said the election must be held (in time) and no one can resist it. "No one has the capability to foil the election."

About the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP's) demand for Khaleda's release, Hasina said the BNP chairperson can be freed from jail either by the court or through Presidential clemency.

"The government has nothing to do with it...she (Khaleda) has either to go to court or seek clemency from the President," Hasina said replying to a question.

On Saturday, BNP leaders at a rally in front of its Nayapaltan central office demanded the government release their chairperson Khaleda Zia to ensure the party's participation in the next polls.

About Rohingya issue, the Prime Minister said Myanmar has committed a horrible thing by carrying out falsehood releasing fake photos in social media over Rohinga issue.

"They've committed a terrible work. They've tarnished their own image with this. They've destroyed their position at international stage," she said.

She said the same propaganda with fake photos was also carried out by BNP-Jamaat in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in Bangladesh. "My question is whether they (Myanmar) learnt the tactic from our BNP-Jamaat."

During the BIMSTEC summit in Nepal, Hasina said she had talks with the Myanmar President over Rohingya issue and the repatriation agreement signed between the two countries.

Hasina said the Myanmar President told her that they are ready to take back those who want to go back to Myanmar.

The Prime Minister said she never wants confrontational situation with neighbouring country Myanmar.

She said Myanmar never denies anything, and says it will take back the Rohingyas. "But the reality is it doesn't act accordingly."

The Prime Minister visited Nepal on August 30 and 31 to attend the two-day summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), a seven-nation economic bloc of the South Asia and South East Asia.

The seven BIMSTEC member states are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal.

The Prime Minister said she is in favour of testing the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the upcoming parliamentary election.

Hasina made the statement amidst the BNP and most other parties' opposition to the use of EVMs.

"We cannot suppress it," she said."It is a matter of practice. We must test them out."

"We want to begin using them in some places to test them," said Hasina. "We need to see if there is any system loss in the technology. If we see any indication of problems we will remove them. But this is not the final word on the matter. Let us start using the technology on a limited basis."