Next national polls under interim govt: MK Alamgir

Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir has said that the next national elections would be held under an interim government with the participation of all political parties. The AL presidium member said this at a discussion on 'Free, Fair and Neutral Election: BNP-Jama'at Fear' organised by Thikana Bangladesh at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) in the city Monday, reports BSS. Chaired by freeform fighter Akram Hossain, the function was addressed, among others, by State Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Advocate Qamrul Islam as the main speaker, city AL Organising Secretary Shah Alam Murad, organising secretary of Krishak League MA Karim, city AL Adviser GM Atiqur Rahman and acting general secretary of Bangabandhu Sanskritik Jote Arun Sarkar. The AL leader said the main opposition BNP is opposed to democratic dispensation as the party was founded through an undemocratic way marked by killing and conspiracies. He said the BNP is unwilling to take part in the next national polls under the interim government sensing electoral defeat. Dr Alamgir said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took oath to run the country showing respect to the country's Constitution but former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia breached her oath in disregard of the constitution. He cited examples of preparing fake voters' lists and making war criminals -- Mojaheed and Nizami -- cabinet ministers during BNP-Jama'at period. Referring to successful completion of city corporations and municipality polls, he said these polls were not called into question both at home and abroad. Therefore, the AL leader said, there is no bar on holding national elections under an interim government. The state minister for law said the government does not want to hold the national election under the caretaker government (CG), as it would like to give democracy an institutional shape.