Next election as per constitution, says PM

Staff Correspondent; From the Parliament: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the 11th general election will be held as per the constitution.

"Bangladesh's constitution is the highest law ... there is no provision for constitution of a supportive government in the Constitution," she said replying to a starred question from Awami League lawmaker Tanvir Imam (Sirajganj-4) during her question-answer session in the house on Wednesday.

Sheikh Hasina said, "Our government will always uphold democracy and for that, we would not undertake any government system contrary to the constitution."

The Prime Minister said the BNP was born through martial law and in an illegal way violating the constitution.

Sheikh Hasina said during the rule of General Ziaur Rahman, BNP staged voterless referendum. After forming government in 1991, she said, BNP made unprecedented rigging in the Magura and Dhaka by-polls and formed an illegal government through the voterless 15 February election in 1996.

"At that time, BNP fully destroyed the electoral system and democratic trend," she added.

The Prime Minister said the emergency was imposed and a caretaker government was in power for two years as BNP tried to make their like-minded person the caretaker government chief in 2006 with an intention to hold a farcical election.

"While reviewing this history, BNP was never in favor of the continuation of democracy and for this, they are demanding a supportive government unconstitutionally which is not at all acceptable," she added.

Pointing out her address to the nation on January 12, she said, "In the address, I mentioned that the Election Commission will perform its responsibilities as per section 126 of the constitution and the size of the government will be small."

She added in the address, "I also mentioned that the government will carry out routine works and will not take any policy decision."

 

risingbd/Dhaka/January 31, 2018/Asad/A K Azad