We have proved election can be free, fair and neutral under AL government: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said recent city corporation elections proved elections could be credible and fair where people could cast their votes spontaneously under the incumbent government.
“Elections to the city corporations have held one after another and people cast their votes spontaneously due to having continued democracy in the country. We have proved election can be free, fair and neutral under the Awami League government,” she said.
The prime minister said this while administering oath to newly elected mayors of two city corporations -- AHM Khairuzzaman Liton of Rajshahi and Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury of Sylhet -- at the Shapla Hall of her office (PMO).
She asked the people’s representatives to win the people’s confidence and trust through serving them and working to fulfill their aspirations.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has attached priority to ensure development not only in the cities but also at the grassroots level.
The prime minister has briefly described the overall development in education, agriculture and healthcare services achieved during her government.
“Make contribution to the country’s overall development,” she told the newly elected mayors and councillors.
The prime minister, however, thanked the Rajshahi city mayor for building Rajshahi as a modern, beautiful and tourism city.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has announced “zero tolerance” policy against terrorism, militancy and corruption.
On the contrary, she said that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jammat-e-Islami clique gave patronage to terrorism and corruption.
“BNP government made Bangladesh the world champion in corruption for five times,” the prime minister recalled.
The voting rights were also snatched after the assassination of Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh witnessed decentralisation of power when Bangabandhu turned the then sub divisions or “mohokumas” into districts appointing district governors to oversee overall development of districts.
She has stressed the need for undertaking more development works in Rajshahi and Sylhet.
The prime minister also asked the respective public representatives to address illiteracy and unemployment in Sylhet and Rajshahi respectively.
She asked the public representatives to work in such a way that ensures development is achieved in each corner of the country.
She said her government has been giving houses to homeless and landless people free of cost.
“In the country of Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, none will be homeless and landless,” she said.
Later, 76 newly elected councillors of general wards and female councillors of the reserved seats of two city corporations were also sworn in at the same venue.
Of them, 40 councillors are from Rajshahi and 36 from Sylhet.
Local government, rural development and cooperatives minister Md Tazul Islam administered the oath to the councillors.
Local government division secretary Muhammad Ibrahim conducted the oath-taking ceremony.
State minister for LGRD and cooperatives Swapan Bhattacharjee was present on the dais.
On 21 June, Awami League mayoral candidate AHM Khairuzzaman Liton won the Rajshahi City Corporation election with 160,290 votes defeating his nearest rival Islami Andolon Bangladesh’s Md Murshid Alam who bagged only 13,483 votes.
On the same day, Awami League mayoral candidate Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury won the Sylhet City Corporation election with 118,614 votes defeating his nearest rival Jatiya Party contender Nazrul Islam Babu who secured 50,321 votes.