BNP missed ‘walkover’, says PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said her party would have given ‘walkover’ to opposition BNP in some seats if BNP had joined the ‘all-party’ polls-time government.

“We would have done that in the interest of the country, its democracy and the Constitution,” she said.

Hasina mentioned that the ruling Awami League has already withdrawn its candidature from some seats in favour of other political parties of the all-party election-time government.

She was addressing a discussion at Krishibid Institution Auditorium organised by the AL marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day with Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair.

Hasina said the ruling party has reached a compromise with the parties of the polls-time government.

“We’ve withdrawn our candidatures from some seats after a liaison,” she said adding that her party pulled back its candidatures to a certain percentage.

The premier said the reason behind this withdrawal was to ensure a congenial atmosphere during the election.

But she admitted that by this withdrawal of a good number of candidates got ‘walkover’ across the country. “We’ve done this after discussions with the other parties.”

She said that people may think this is unnatural as a huge number of candidates won the election unopposed as there was no other candidate.

In this connection, Hasina mentioned that the ruling party candidates withdrew the candidatures in those constituencies where the political parties have had a compromise.

According to the Election Commission, there will be no need for balloting in 151 constituencies for the January-5 10th parliamentary election as only one valid candidate is found in those seats each after the final scrutiny.

“We have to start from one point, we have to ensure that from somewhere the election will be held as per the Constitution of the country,” Hasina said.

The prime minister also said that she has requested the opposition leader to come forward for a compromise, but she refused.

“My intention was to ensure a congenial atmosphere during the election where there will be no killing and anarchy,” she said.

Hasina, also the president of the ruling Awami League, further said her aim was to create such an atmosphere where people will cast their votes to their favorite candidates.

“But she (Khaleda Zia) didn’t come up, but those who did we compromised with them and withdrew our candidatures,” she said.

Hasina also said that she tried her best to ensure the environment where election could be held in a peaceful manner.

The Awami League chief also mentioned that she phoned the opposition leader for the sake of people. “I had offered her to join the all-party election-time government, I was ready to give any ministry she wants,” she added.

Sheikh Hasina said each time during the election there was always an ad-hoc basis arrangement to tackle the situation. “There was no permanent solution, at least we need a permanent solution,” she said.

Hasina mentioned that she wanted to introduce the system practiced in other democratic countries in the world and where elections are held as per the Constitution.

But, the AL president said, the opposition leader did not respond to her call.