Next general elections would be held as per constitution: Quader

Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday reiterated that the next general elections would be held in line with the provisions of the country’s constitution.

“BNP could not leave out its demand of caretaker government. The election will be held as the country’s constitution. The Election Commission (EC) will conduct the polls in a fair and neutral manner. There will be no government interference,” he said.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, was talking to reporters after joining a meeting with the heads of departments and agencies under the Road Transport and Highways Division at the meeting room of his ministry this afternoon.

He said the AL is in favour of the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in polls as there is no risk of fraud. The president of Brazil is against the EVM while the opposition party of Brazil is in favour of EVM use, the AL general secretary said.

But, he said, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is against the EVM use. He said the AL is demanding cent percent use of EVM in the elections and it is the jurisdiction of the Commission to what extent it will use EVM.

Referring to the global crisis, Quader said it is true that the people have been suffering for this but not a single person died without food in the country.

“There is no reason to be worried about the country’s foreign reserves. It is possible to run (the country) for the next five-six months with the current reserves we have…we have no problem with our food stock. Bangladesh is better than many countries,” he said.

Replying a question over the BNP’s rally, Quader said the AL is not afraid of the BNP rally where around one lakh people gathered.

Asking BNP leaders to hold rallies peacefully, he said if the BNP gathers 10 lakh people in Dhaka, the ruling AL can assemble 30 lakh people but it will create traffic jam aggravating the public sufferings.

Mentioning that 100 bridges will be inaugurated simultaneously across the country within the current month of October, the road transport and bridges minister said a summery has been sent to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to this end.

Whenver the premier will give time, the bridges will be opened, he said.

While inaugurating the bridges, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will remain connected with three divisions – Dhaka, Chattogram and Barishal – through videoconferencing, Quader said.

He said rallies will be arranged at three places on the occasion of the bridges’ opening. The minister said it is expected that the first phase of the dream project – MRT Line-6 – will open at the end of this year.

Quader hoped that the long cherished Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel being constructed beneath the Karnaphuli River would be inaugurated within this year too.