Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina believes the Jan 7 parliamentary elections can still be participatory despite the boycotts by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. Labelling the BNP a ‘criminal party’ and the Jamaat a ‘war criminal party,’ the Awami League chief said, “The elections will be participatory if the people take part and voters turn up. “It is the participation of voters that determines whether an election is participatory; and that is the exact thing we want.”Hasina made these remarks while joining campaign events in Sherpur, Jamalpur, Kishoreganj, Chandpur and Bandarban virtually from the Awami League’s headquarters in Dhaka’s Tejgaon on Thursday. She also said Bangladesh has only developed due to the Awami League government’s rule since 2008. Referring to the BNP’s boycott, Hasina said the opposition party does not believe in elections.

Source: bd News24 December 28, 2023 17:01 UTC