Give befitting reply through votes to election foiling attempt by international conspirators: PM Hasina
The Hindu
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina calls for peaceful elections, confident of giving "befitting reply" to international conspiracies.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said she was confident that the people of Bangladesh would give a befitting reply to attempts by international conspirators to dislodge her from power in the January 7 elections.
Stating that she wants the 12th parliamentary election to be held peacefully, Ms. Hasina, also the president of the ruling Awami Party said, “We will take part in the January 7 election with our party's electoral symbol Boat. Go early to the polling centres to cast a vote (for boat) to show the world that we can hold the election in a free, fair and neutral manner.”
“Various conspiracies are being hatched to foil the polls. Many are also involved internationally. They work to bring a third party to power in Bangladesh — we will give a befitting reply to the conspiracies through the January 7 election,” Ms. Hasina said while addressing an election rally at Tungipara, about 170 km southwest of Dhaka.
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“What can the third party do? They can't do any development in the country. You had seen what they did in 2007,” Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the country’s national news agency, quoted Ms. Hasina as saying. Amid increasing violence, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, has announced that it would boycott the election. BNP had boycotted the 2014 election too but took part in the 2018 polls.
Earlier in the year, the U.S. and other major Western countries had called for dialogue between the ruling Awami League and the Opposition to ensure an inclusive and credible election, which however, saw no headway visibly due to reluctance by both sides.
On Saturday, the BSS reported that Ms. Hasina was accompanied by her younger sister Sheikh Rehana to the rally grounds at Tungipara, where she waved the national flag to a roaring response from her supporters who had gathered to listen to her.
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