‘Unite and win trust’

In the wake of defeat in Awami League’s candidates in five city corporation elections, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged supporters of her Awami League and its associate organisations to forget their ‘internal squabbling’ and unite.

A statement signed by Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad on Thursday said, “Democracy and people have won at the recently staged five city corporation elections. It proves that fair and free polls can be conducted by the Election Commission.”

Awami League-backed candidates were defeated by BNP-endorsed candidates at Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet on Jun 15 and in Gazipur on Jul 6.
After the Gazipur city election, the division in the ruling party at local level became apparent in the statements issued by the leaders. The Prime Minister was abroad on that day. She returned to the country on Wednesday after visiting UK and Belarus.

The statement said, “The various national, local level elections were neutrally and transparently staged under the present government despite the opposition party’s false spreading, baseless accusations and attempts to make the polls controversial.

“Local and foreign media as well as election observers released news reports and provided information that say the polls were conducted in a fair manner.”

Awami League chief Hasina thanked the Election Commission, the people, political parties, administration, law-enforcing agencies and the media for the ‘proper’ staging of Gazipur City Corporation.

She also thanked the party and allies of the ruling Grand alliance for working in favour of the Awami League- backed candidate.

She urged the opposition to stop ‘spreading misinformation and false charges’ and join everyone for the peaceful and proper staging of the parliamentary elections.

The statement also said, “The Grand Alliance will correct its flaws and work to maintain democracy, political stability and economic progress in the coming days with respect to the mandate given by people in the city corporation elections.”

She told the leaders and activists of Awami League and its allies to not be ‘discouraged’ by the civic poll results or the opposition’s lies. They must forget their ‘divisions and internal feuds’ to unite to gain the trust of the people so that the Grand alliance can ‘come out as winners’ in the all coming polls.

The Prime Minister asked the members of the coalition to move forward by nourishing the ideals of the Liberation War within them.

There was a crisis of faith regarding polls during BNP’s tenure due to the rigging and the then ruling party’s misuse of power, the statement continued, but that has been restored due to the fair elections under the present government.

“This faith cannot be compromised and the government is firm to continue the process of fair elections in the coming parliamentary elections.”

Hasina congratulated the winners of the city corporation and said, “Our government promises the continuity of the unprecedented development brought to these city corporations under the former mayors, for the sake of the people.”