AL wants next polls be free, fair: PM

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.