BNP candidates’ victory proves there is no scope of irregularities in EVM: Quader

Ruling Awami League general secretary and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said the massive voter turnout in the first-phase municipality polls carried the message that democracy is marching forward in the country, reports state-run news agency BSS.

He was addressing a press conference on contemporary issues at his official residence on parliament premises.

Quader extended greetings to the winners of the first-phase municipality elections held on Monday and thanked the election commission (EC) for holding the polls in a peaceful and proper manner.

He also extended thanks to voters for their massive participation in the elections.

AL nominated candidates attained massive win in polls which again revealed the people’s confidence in the government of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, he added.

Mentioning that BNP candidates achieved victory in two municipalities among 23, Quader thanked BNP for staying in the polling till the end coming out of the cycle of their negative politics of vote boycotting in the middle of polls by raising fabricated allegations.

The minister said the people’s trust has increased in voting in electronic voting machine (EVM) system and they also expressed their satisfaction over the using of EVM.

Though BNP opposed the using of EVM, victory of their candidates in the method proved that there is no scope of irregularities in EVM, he said.

According to primary information of the EC, Quader said the voter turnout in the polls was more than 60 per cent and some municipalities saw 70-80 per cent turnout.

BNP’s allegation that the people cannot cast their votes has again been proved false and unsubstantial, he said.

He said the polls results again revealed that people’s trust in Awami League and the government has increased while public confidence in BNP is decreasing gradually.

Pointing to BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Quader said there is no scope to win the polls capitalising on evil strategies.

He said if Mirza Fakhrul compared AL with hare referring to the tale of the tortoise and the hare, “I would like to say that AL is going ahead in an indomitable speed towards the prosperity under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. There is no scope to sleep or halt before reaching the goal. The hare is now conscious taking lesson from the history.”

Like the tortoise of the tale, BNP will go slowly without realising the people’ mindset but the government like the hare will reach the goal of building a prosperous Bangladesh having modern facilities in an indomitable speed, he said.

He said now no evil forces or conspiracies will be able to halt the AL government in the midway to reach the goal.