Only Votes Can Change Govt: PM

Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said her party always favours change of government through votes.

“We want that voting rights of the people will continue. And the government will be changed through votes,” she said.

Hasina said this while inaugurating the sale of nomination forms of the Awami League at its central office in 23 Bangabandhu Avenue.

She said that people of the country have to resist those who unleashed arson terrorism to foil election.

“We have established voting rights of the people through a long struggle,” she said.

She thanked the political parties which have decided to participate in the January 7 parliamentary election.

“The political parties which do not have trust and confidence on the people and are not well organised as political parties, they are trying to foil the election,” she said.

She said that foiling election might cause heavy toll for a country.

“In 2013 and 2014 we have witnessed arson terrorism that caused loss of lives and properties. What kind of politics is this, destroying lives and properties through arson terrorism,” she asked.

Sheikh Hasina urged the people of the country to be aware of those who are conspiring to foil the election through arson terrorism.

She mentioned that democratic process has been continuing in the country since 2009 and as a result Bangladesh has registered unprecedented socioeconomic advancement and attained developing country status.

She sought blessings from the people so that the 12th parliamentary elections are held peacefully.

The PM said that academic activities of students are getting hampered through hartals and blockades.

“BNP- Jamaat gets pleasure through torturing mass people,” she alleged.

Hasina also said that attempt to foil elections might not bring any good result for the people involved.

“If anyone tries to foil election, and continues the arson terrorism, the result of these will not bring any good to them, It is the rights of the people to vote and choose their desired candidates in the elections,” she said.

She also mentioned that people of the country will punish them.

“I will urge the people not to let anyone halt the democratic pricess in the country that we attained through huge struggle,” she said.

Talking about the nominations process of Awami League, Hasina said that those who are taking nomination forms are all eligible, no doubt about it.

“But It is the job of the nomination board of Awami League to choose the appropriate candidates for the next election. We will also take opinion from the grassroots level before choosing the candidates,” she said.

Earlier, she visited nomination forms selling booths at the Awami Legaue office.

Ten booths for eight divisions have been set up to sell the nomination forms among the aspirant candidates for the parliamentary elections.

The aspirants can collect and submit the nomination papers from November 18 to November 21 between 10 am and 4 pm every day.

They should buy and submit the forms for party nomination from the specific booths installed at the AL Bangabandhu Avenue central office in the capital.

Nomination forms for the candidates of Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Chattogram divisions are available from the second floor of the party office, while the aspirants from Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna and Barishal divisions have to collect nomination papers from the third floor.

Earlier, Bangladesh Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came to the central office of Awami League in a private car from Ganabhaban.

Later, she went to Bangabhaban riding an official car to pay a courtesy call to the President.