Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said Awami League wants the participation of all political parties, including BNP, in the upcoming general elections. "We want the participation of all political parties, including BNP, in the upcoming general elections," he told reporters after exchanging views with the representatives of 'The Election Monitoring Forum' (EMF), a platform of election observers, from home and abroad, at his official residence in the capital's Minto Road. "We also want people to cast their votes with enthusiasm for electing the next government in a free and fair manner. We, on behalf of the government, will cooperate if it is necessary," he said. He also said a total of 108 organisations are registered with the Election Commission for monitoring the elections. Of those, the Election Monitoring Forum is an alliance of 51 organisations. "The EMF representatives discussed election-related issues with me elaborately. They also want the participation of all political parties, including BNP, in the next polls where the countrymen will elect their next government. The forum monitored the last election and they will send an election monitoring team to observe the next polls," added the minister. Read more: Any move to hold polls under a partisan govt to be resisted: Fakhrul The minister said the EMF was informed that the next polls will be held under the Election Commission (EC) like all other democratic countries. And the current government like India, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany and other countries of Continental Europe would work as the election-period government and the polls will be held under the EC, he added.  Replying to a query about BNP, Hasan said the party is afraid of elections and it is normal as they got only 29 seats in 2008 polls. Later, they had boycotted the 2014 polls to resist democracy though they failed, he added. He said BNP got only six seats after forming a grand alliance with rightists, leftists, extreme rightists, extreme leftists and the Taliban in 2018 polls. But, that didn't bring any fruit for them. Consequently, they are scared of the election, he added. Hasan hoped that the BNP would take part in the next polls. He said the EC conducts elections and the commission would take initiative so that all parties participate in the polls. Among others, AL Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Aminul Islam Amin, EMF chairman Mohammad Abed Ali, Social activist and political analyst of Germany Volkar U Freidrich, Global Village Connection chairman of Bhutan Jackson Dukpa, Islamic Arabic University acting vice chancellor and director of the forum Abul Kalam Azad, pro vice-chancellor of BUET and director of the forum Professor Dr Abdul Jabbar Khan and agriculturalist Dr Azadul Haaque, attended the meeting.

Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif on Monday said BNP will join the next parliamentary election under the current government as the party did in 2018. “The next election will also be held under the present government in line with the constitution and BNP must take part in that poll,” he said. Hanif came up with the comment while talking to journalists during the inauguration of the newly constructed District Seed Certification Agency office building in Saddam Bazar area. He said the government will do whatever is necessary for holding the forthcoming election in a free, fair and neutral manner with the participation of all parties. The ruling party leader recalled that BNP joined the 2018 election under the Awami League government. He said Awami League is the only party in Bangladesh which believes in democracy and handing over power through an election. “Awami League has so far handed over power through elections. The Awami League does not resort to any trick over the election. The BNP has the habit of rigging votes and manipulating the elections.” READ:  BNP is opposing election commission law to embarrass the govt: Hanif Earlier on Sunday, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader assured that the 12th parliamentary polls will be held in a free and credible manner, and urged all registered political parties to join it. However, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday said Awami League’s assurance of a fair election is only a trap to deceive their party. Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi also said what the ruling party leaders and the prime minister are saying about the fair election is nothing but a deception.

The Awami League wants the next election to take place with participation of all the political parties, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday. “BNP was born through the back door yet we expect the party will participate in the next election,” the minister said replying to a journalist’s question after attending a Mother’s Day program at CIRDAP auditorium in the city. He noted that after remaining suspended due to Covid-19 pandemic, the full AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC) meeting took place on Saturday, chaired by party president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Also read: PM: AL comes to power through election, not by back door Regarding the BNP’s demand for election under a non-partisan government, Hasan Mahmud said: “There is no possibility for it according to the constitution. The incumbent government performs the duties of election time government if we look at the democratic countries like India, England, Australia, countries of European continent and even USA.” “Besides, the elections are held under the Election Commission, not the government. Fear of election has actually gripped BNP, that’s why they didn’t participate in any of the local government polls,” he said. The information minister remarked the Press Freedom Index of Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders, or RSF) is a hateful report when questioned about Bangladesh ranking below Afghanistan this year. Also read: Hasan trashes RSF report on press freedom as malicious & unacceptable He said, ”By ranking Bangladesh below Afghanistan, where a female reporter was shot dead for presenting news, RSF themselves have proved they prepared the index out of hate.” Regarding Railway Minister denying he knew his wife’s relatives, the minister said, ”I don’t think he was lying. Even I don’t know all my wife’s relatives. But it is not right to suspend someone following the direction of a minister’s wife,” said Hasan Mahmud.