Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader says a 36.1 percent turnout in the first phase of the upazila elections despite conspiracies is very impressive.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has kept the Election Commission peaceful… the turnout would have been higher if it were not a rice harvesting season. Moreover, many areas have been hit by storms,” he said after a meeting with party leaders and activists at the party’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue on Friday (May 10) afternoon.
“Has there been any peaceful election during the BNP?” he asked.
Most of the winners in the first phase of the polls are affiliated with the Awami League, while some expelled BNP leaders were also elected.
Quader slammed the BNP for “playing a political game” over the treatment of their ailing chief Khaleda Zia. “These people can commit any kind of crime. The Awami League will not get involved in the conflict. I urge everyone to remain peaceful,” he said.
The Awami League leader felt that BNP’s call for polls boycott had been met with utter disregard by the party leaders. Many of those expelled by the party have been elected.
“BNP is stuck in the quicksand of mistakes and failures. They will remain alienated until they return to the fair democratic system,” he said.
Regarding the party’s programme, Quader said the Awami League will hold a peace development rally tomorrow (May 11). On the occasion of Sheikh Hasina’s homecoming on May 17, programmes will be held at the metropolitan, district, upazila and union levels.
On the occasion of the 75th founding anniversary of the Awami League on June 23, a big programme has been undertaken, Quader said.
