Election to be held as per constitution: PM

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia waves to supporters at a huge public meeting at Badalagachhi in Naogaon yesterday. PHOTO: PID

Rebutting opposition's reported threat against elections, she once again said as per provision of the constitution, the person who is supposed to be Chief Advisor -- retired Chief Justice--would be the Chief Advisor of the interim government.

"There is no new scope here," she said it clearly and loudly at a huge rally here.

Addressing the public meeting adjacent to the proposed Badalgachhi stadium, Khaleda said the opposition does not know what they actually want; they want to go to power by any means.

She said they (AL) want the President, the CEC and the chief of caretaker government to be their men to make them winners.

"They don't accept caretaker government and don't want election," Khaleda said, adding if they don't want caretaker government, then the alternative is to hold election under the BNP and alliance government.

"But we don't want to participate in the election by staying in power. We want to join the election under a caretaker government as we did in the past," said Khaleda, also chairperson of the ruling BNP.

She said three elections were held fairly and neutrally under the system and AL went to power through elections under this system.

Khaldea described the system of caretaker government as a unique one introduced by her government. This system, she said, has been appreciated at home and abroad.

The PM said the opposition has appeared with a new pretext of voter list and that the voter list has been prepared properly reflecting the wish of people as voter enumerators went door to door.

During AL rule, Khaleda said, they had appointed their like-minded and party men to the EC and prepared voter list according to their wish. "At that time we had protested, but they did not listen to us." They, however, could not win the elections as people were united.

She said the opposition wants to push the country towards destruction and anarchy. But people don't want unrest and anarchy rather want peace, continuity of democratic process, constitution and want everything in accordance with the constitution.

Khaleda said AL is scared and unhappy about the election as they know what they did nothing during their five-year rule while the BNP-led government has done massive work in all sectors.

Increase in per capita income, boosting trade-commerce, export, agricultural production, employment, life expectancy--all are the signs of development. Terrorism has been contained and people are living in peace, she told the gathering. "Therefore, the people would not give verdict in favour of the opposition."

Referring to AL's "destructive" politics and frequent hartal calls, she said they also have enforced hartal today and killed a policeman, who provided security to people.

Telephone Minister Aminul Huq, PM's Political Secretary Harris Chowdhury and Rizvi Ahmed also addressed the meeting with local BNP president Anisur Rahman in the chair.

Earlier, the PM inaugurated Dak Bungalow at Mohadevpur, new building of Mohadevpur Sadar union parishad and 50-bed Mohadevpur upazial health complex.