Candidates from Awami League allies competing against AL nominees in different constituencies is part of a strategy, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader said yesterday.
“We have a strategy which I am not going to tell you…. Allies are contesting our nominees, have we allowed this without understanding anything?” he rhetorically asked reporters.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. It's a strategy to avoid the trap of an uncontested election, Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said after meeting with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller at the secretariat.
“What if the BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront quit the election race? Then? We will not allow any trap of a one-sided election again.”
When reminded of the allegations that the AL is trying to keep the BNP away from the polls, he said, “Why would we try to keep the BNP away from the election? We have this strategy with the allies, in case they [BNP] quit.”
He then said the Awami League was affected the most by polls-time violence.
A congenial pre-election atmosphere is necessary for a fair election, he said, adding that the government would assist the Election Commission to this end.
Ambassador Earl R Miller said, “The US wants a fair and violence free election in Bangladesh. All sides should avoid election violence. Violence cannot be a way of democracy.”
In another event at the Central Shaheed Minar, Quader said the AL would celebrate the election victory in the month of victory by winning the maximum number of seats.
“The Awami League under the dynamic leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will clinch another victory in the month of victory,” he said.
Quader said an AL wave was coming while the support for BNP was on the wane.
Cultural personalities Syed Hasan Imam, Monoranjan Shil Ghoshal, Golam Quddus, Raisul Islam Asad, Mahfuz Ahmed, Jahid Hasan, Shakil Khan, Aruna Biswas, Rokeya Parchi, Shomi Kaiser, Tarin, Azmeri Haque Badhan, Sweety, among others, were present there.
They later boarded several campaign trucks that crawled through different city streets.
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