“There’s no instance that Awami League assumed power without election,” he said while addressing a press conference at the district AL office in the afternoon.
Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said, “We came to power in 1996 after winning the parliamentary elections. We were defeated in the conspiratorial election in 2001. We again assumed power through the 2008 election.”
Turning to BNP, he said they started making negative comments about the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commission (EC) much before the election process started.
“They thanked the Commission after getting back candidacy of their several candidates. The Commission is good when its decision goes in favour of them and it’s bad when its decision goes against them,” the ruling party leader said.
“The Election Commission is not neutral unless it sides with BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront. This is their mentality,” he said.
Apparently referring to Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder, Quader said there is someone in the Commission who issues notes of dissent and talks to reporters calling them to his room.
District Awami League President Prof Khairul Anam Selim, Vice-president Abdur Rahman Manju and Sadar upazila parishad Chairman Advocate Shihab Uddin were, among others, present on the occasion.