AL always prepared for polls: Hasina
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Awami League (AL) will participate in the December 29 polls even if its archrival BNP stays away from the crucial race, AL chief Sheikh Hasina said Tuesday during a meeting with a high-level UN delegation supervising Bangladesh's pre-election scenario, reports UNB.
The former Prime Minister said her party is always prepared for the long-overdue election, being held against the backdrop of turmoil in the country's political arena following the January 2007 crisis.
Awami League president's special aide Dr Hasan Mahmud said the UN team pointed out to the AL chief that even Monday also, BNP did not make it fully clear if they are going to the polls.
"Now, if BNP does not take part in the election, is Awami League ready to go to the polls?" he quoted the United Nations Team for Bangladesh Election as asking Sheikh Hasina.
"In reply, Sheikh Hasina said Awami League is always prepared for the election for the sake of democracy," Dr Hasan told journalists after the meeting at Sudhasadan.
The Awami League president also explained the reasons why the election has been deferred, making a dig at her political adversary.
"Sheikh Hasina informed the delegation that Awami League was fully prepared to contest the polls on the previous date, December 18. But, for a party's convenience, the election is deferred to December 29, thus making the state of emergency prolonged," Dr Hasan said.
Earlier speaking to the media, Francesc Vendrell, head of the UN team, said the UN wants to see the upcoming general election takes place without the state of emergency.
"We will, of course, prefer to see the country going to the polls without the state of emergency," he said.
Vendrell added nobody likes to see the state of emergency unless it is necessary. "But, it seems to me, the emergency will either be lifted or play a very minor role if it is not lifted before the election-day."
Asked to evaluate the present situation following the fresh date for the general election, the visiting UN delegation chief said it seems to them that almost everything is going well. "So far, we feel optimistic."
Vendrell said though the UN is not sending any team of election observers, findings of the observers of the European Union, Commonwealth and the US would be taken into account of the world body.
The former Prime Minister said her party is always prepared for the long-overdue election, being held against the backdrop of turmoil in the country's political arena following the January 2007 crisis.
Awami League president's special aide Dr Hasan Mahmud said the UN team pointed out to the AL chief that even Monday also, BNP did not make it fully clear if they are going to the polls.
"Now, if BNP does not take part in the election, is Awami League ready to go to the polls?" he quoted the United Nations Team for Bangladesh Election as asking Sheikh Hasina.
"In reply, Sheikh Hasina said Awami League is always prepared for the election for the sake of democracy," Dr Hasan told journalists after the meeting at Sudhasadan.
The Awami League president also explained the reasons why the election has been deferred, making a dig at her political adversary.
"Sheikh Hasina informed the delegation that Awami League was fully prepared to contest the polls on the previous date, December 18. But, for a party's convenience, the election is deferred to December 29, thus making the state of emergency prolonged," Dr Hasan said.
Earlier speaking to the media, Francesc Vendrell, head of the UN team, said the UN wants to see the upcoming general election takes place without the state of emergency.
"We will, of course, prefer to see the country going to the polls without the state of emergency," he said.
Vendrell added nobody likes to see the state of emergency unless it is necessary. "But, it seems to me, the emergency will either be lifted or play a very minor role if it is not lifted before the election-day."
Asked to evaluate the present situation following the fresh date for the general election, the visiting UN delegation chief said it seems to them that almost everything is going well. "So far, we feel optimistic."
Vendrell said though the UN is not sending any team of election observers, findings of the observers of the European Union, Commonwealth and the US would be taken into account of the world body.