Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the government wants the participation of all political parties in the next parliamentary election, but it’s up to a political party to join it or not.

“It is the decision of any political party whether to participate in the election or not. We can’t impose anything there…..Yes, we definitely want all parties to join it,” she said.

The premier said this while replying to a question at a press conference arranged at her official residence Ganobhaban on the outcome of her recent official visit to the UK and the USA.

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 Hasina said the Awami League, along with its allies and all others, made all the improvements and reforms in the country’s electoral system. “Even that if anyone doesn’t join, what can we do?” she said.

“Yes, we want all parties to join the election and vie in the polls. Awami League will never come power, rigging votes at least and didn’t do (in the past) also,” she said.

Pointing at BNP, she said they blamed the government when they lost the national election, giving nomination to 700 aspirants in 300 constituencies in 2018.

“Do the people vote for those who killed people through arson violence? They (the people) never can do,” said Hasina, also the president of Awami League.

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She said Awami League came to power time and again working for the people, winning their hearts and cashing in their votes. AL never came out from the pocket of any military dictator. “AL always came to power through votes and elections,” she added.

The AL chief said her party’s triennial council will be held in December next and the party started taking preparation for the 12th parliamentary elections to be held late 2023 or early 2024.

She said AL is now perhaps the only party in the country that abides by its charter always.