Renewing her vow to further strengthen the foundation of democracy, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said Awami League wants that the next general election be held in a free and impartial manner.

"We want that the next (national) polls will be staged in a free and neutral manner as we made a struggle for establishing voting rights of the people," she said

Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, was addressing a joint meeting of the party's Advisory Council and Central Working Committee at her official Ganabhaban residence here this evening.

The prime minister said her party wants to give democracy an institutional shape by protecting voting rights of the people.

"Our goal is to further consolidate the foundation of democracy and none can snatch the fundamental rights of the people in future ... we want to do whatever is necessary to achieve the target," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that her party wants that the people will exercise their voting rights freely, neutrally and without fear, which is their constitutional and basic rights.

"If this system can be ensured in the country there will be a transparency and accountability of all, while the rights of the people will be established ... and we want that," she said.

Chief Election Commission (CEC) KM Nurul Huda today said the national election will not be inclusive without participation of the BNP.

“BNP is a major political party. How is it possible to hold an inclusive election without their participation? The election won't be participatory without the party’s participation. I had said it earlier and still I am saying so,” said the CEC.

He came up with the remark while Awami League (AL) collected nomination form for the presidential candidate at Nirbachan Bhaban.

CEC Huda hoped that the BNP and other political parties will participate in the general election likely to be held by end of this year.

The BNP had boycotted the January 5, 2014 election demanding election under a non-partisan interim administration. But ruling AL leaders said election will be held under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership.

Recently the BNP started alleging that the government is trying to keep BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her party to away from the next parliamentary elections and also from politics.

Rejecting their claims, AL leaders said it is the responsibility of the BNP to participate in the election as a political party, it is not the responsibility of the ruling party to bring them in the election.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently in the parliament outlined the election-time government.

CEC Huda said the commission always wants the participation of all the political parties in the parliamentary election and they will be able to avail of the same facilities.

The EC will conduct the election in a neutral manner, he promised.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda today said even if there is any discord among the election commissioners, it would not influence the function of the Election Commission.

The CEC made the comments while talking to reporters after a view-exchange meeting with field-level election officials at the Election Commission office at Agargaon.

Asked about the note of dissent submitted by Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder yesterday, the CEC said, “I do not want to talk about the issue that happened yesterday. It has been published in the papers and there is nothing more to talk about.”

Asked the issue of bringing changes to the Electoral Code of Conduct, the CEC said there will be some changes and the Election Commission will sit in a meeting over the issue.

Meanwhile, the CEC also said field-level officials were satisfied with the election preparations. According to them, there was no threat on the field level, he said.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda yesterday said that it cannot be guaranteed that there will be no anomalies in the general election.

Replying to a query on whether there is agreeable atmosphere to hold the national election, especially after allegations of irregularities in the recently-concluded polls in five city corporations, Huda said, “I do not agree with the claim that city corporation elections were not satisfactory. We don't think such irregularities will occur in the national election. We cannot, however, ensure that there will be absolutely no irregularity anywhere in a national-level election.”

“We will investigate and take necessary actions if we receive complaints of anomalies,” he added.

The CEC made the remarks while talking to reporters at the Election Training Institute at Agargaon, Dhaka.

“We always take actions against irregularities that take place in general elections. You have seen us taking extra measures during Barisal city polls, where there were irregularities,” he told reporters.

When asked about Gono Forum President Dr. Kamal Hossain's statement that people do not have any faith in the election commission, the CEC said, “I do not know how Dr Kamal read the thoughts of the entire nation. Did he (Kamal) have any statistics? Did all the people come and tell him to say that? I don't know.”

Saying that the current student movement for safe roads has nothing to do with the national election, the CEC said. “Voting in the national election will take place according to the constitution. We are working on it.”

Huda said that election schedule will be announced in October and the election is likely to be held either at the end of December or beginning of January next year.