Information and Broadcasting Minister said the elections will be more competitive if all political parties including BNP take part in the election.
Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud on Monday July 17 said it is very usual of low turnout of votes in a by-eelction that is held just five months ahead of the national election.
Replying to a query of journalists at the meeting room of the ministry at secretariat, the minister said, “Voter turnout is always low in by-elections in any country. It is also the same in our country. In the USA, no candidate contests in the poll many times, when by-polls are held five to six months before the general elections. Many candidates are elected unopposed.”
He added that recent city corporations election were held very competitively and the average voter turnout was 50 percent in many places despite BNP’s call for boycotting those elections. The elections will be more competitive if all political parties including BNP take part.
Replying to a query over the allegation of independent candidate Ashraful Hossen Alom (Hero Alom) of Dhaka-17 constituency, Dr Hasan Mahmud mentioned anyone can raise allegation. But at first, it must be verified and the Election Commission should investigate into the allegation.
The minister pointed out that some persons become candidates to raise such allegations and to get publicity. So it is a question what is their motive, whether they really want to contest or they want publicity.
Replying to another question about a meeting between European Union delegation and Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN) where they alleged that fair elections are not possible in the present situation, the information minister said that the size of civil society is big. The persons who are telling these are very small part of the civil society and they do not represent the whole society. So, SHUJAN’s statement is not the speech of the country’s civil society.
The minister said, “Discussions were held with the European Union (EU) delegation with us. But there were no discussion over caretaker or polls-time government issues. The election will be held under the Election Commission (EC) as per the constitution.”
He said the EC is much stronger and it has been proved in recent elections and the commission did not care the government. The EC would not cancel the Gaibandha-5 poll if the government had any control over the commission.
About BNP’s political programs, the information minister said BNP met the foreign diplomats and held meetings.
The minister further said that the EU ambassador has clearly told BNP that strikes and blockades have weakened democracy. If they (BNP) have commonsense, they would not go for any further destructive program.
