Quader: 25-30 parties to participate in polls

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Monday said that about 25-30 political parties will join the upcoming 12th parliamentary elections.

“If the BNP does not participate in it, many BNP leaders will be ready to join the polls."

Claiming that the ruling party never wants violence in the country, the Awami League general secretary said: "If a special party joins the polls, would the election be a participatory one?”

Mentioning that BNP is going to avoid the next polls, sensing that it will not be able to win, he said it would be clear within November 30 next about those who are joining the elections from the BNP.

Quader said that the party leaders can contest in the forthcoming 12th general elections as independent candidates if they want to do so. 

"Many may have made ill-efforts to make the polls questionable. For tactical reasons, the Awami League leaders have been given approval to become independent candidates," he said at a function at Awami League President's Dhanmondi political office here.

The function was arranged to handover letters to the Awami League leaders, who got the party's nomination to contest in the upcoming general election. 

Quader said there is nothing unclear in the speech that Awami League Nomination Board chairman and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina gave to the Awami League candidates at Ganabhaban on Sunday. 

She told everything clearly that those who want to become candidates as her guideline, will be dummy candidates, he said. 

So, the Awami League general secretary said that  there is no bar to becoming candidates by following these guidelines given by the Awami League President.

About the Awami League-nominated candidates, Quader said the party tickets have been given to only those who have the ability to win in the polls.

He said the government is trying to hold a peaceful election, but the opposition party is obstructing it.

Quader said the Awami League did not announce candidates for two seats due to the party's strategic reason, while the decision will be taken after looking at the advantage of the electoral alliance. 

"There is an issue of adjustment-accommodation. The party will finalize those," he added.

Earlier, in the morning, Quader on behalf of the Awami League  paid tribute to martyr Dr Shamsul Alam Khan Milon on his death anniversary.

Responding to a statement given by BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Quader said mass tide continues in the country in favour of the polls, which cannot be halted by sporadic bomb attacks.

Source: BSS