Bangladesh PM Hasina says Jan 7 election ensured “democracy and people's right to vote”

Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the absolute triumph of her Awami League party in the recent general election was the "victory of Bangladesh, its people, and the continuation of democracy and development.” Hasina-led Awami League (AL) won the January 7 polls with a handsome victory amid a boycott by the principal opposition party, the Bangladesh National Party (BNP).

The prime minister was addressing several hundred expatriate AL leaders from across the globe gathered at her official residence ‘Ganabhaban’ here to congratulate her on her party's fourth consecutive win in the 12th parliamentary election.

The 76-year-old prime minister said, the absolute win of the Awami League was “the victory of Bangladesh, its people, and the continuation of democracy and development,” and said, her government has been able to ensure people's right to vote in the January 7 election, according to the Dhaka Tribune newspaper.

“We have ensured the constitutional right of the people,” Hasina was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Taking a jibe at the BNP for not participating in the elections, Hasina said, “In the 2008 election, BNP with their 20-party alliance got 30 seats only while Awami League alone bagged 233 seats. That election was held under a neutral caretaker government,” and asked how will they (the BNP) face the elections? Many people thought in 2008 that the BNP was equal to Awami League considering the organisational strength, she said, adding, “But it was proved wrong in the 2008 election. The BNP never wanted an election. They instead unleashed arson attacks killing people and setting fire to trains to foil the elections.” “The more they (BNP) unleash the arson attack the more people will reject them. They know that they were rejected by the people,” she said and added, this is why the BNP does not want to participate in the election. “Rather they wanted to spoil the election and looked for the illegal way to be in power.”