It’s up to EC whether to adjust polls schedule: Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader has said it is up to the election commission to decide whether to adjust the election schedule, but he insisted on maintaining the deadline.
He made the statement at a press briefing at the party’s Dhaka district office in the capital's Tejgaon area on Wednesday, following a meeting with the Commonwealth pre-election assessment mission.
The election is taking place in our country, so why should we worry about outsiders’ sanctions?
In response to a query about Jatiya Party's request to defer the schedule, Quader said, “The election is solely an issue of the election commission. However, there is a deadline, and it is up to the commission to decide whether they will adjust the schedule while maintaining the deadline. We have nothing to do here.”
He reiterated optimism that the election will be inclusive even without the participation of the BNP.
“Will the election be one-sided due to the non-participation of the BNP? Will you overlook the other (contesting) parties? They are also a part of democracy and the election process. A good number of parties will join the polls, making it participatory,” he said.
Awami League will finalise candidates for the next election as per reports from intelligence agencies and internal sources.
Regarding his meeting with the Commonwealth delegation, Quader said he found the delegation positive about sending observers during the forthcoming elections.
Speaking about candidate selection of the ruling party, Quader said they will finalise candidates as per reports from intelligence agencies and internal sources. He added, “Apart from the government intelligence agencies, the prime minister has a designated cell through which she receives (ground) reports. The candidate who will be the top scorer according to the reports will be finalised for party nomination.”
Asked about the government's concerns regarding speculated sanctions from the US following another one-sided election, the AL general secretary said they currently have no negative thoughts.
He said, “We do not have much headache regarding the issue. The election is taking place in our country, so why should we worry about outsiders’ sanctions?”
He stood firm to hold the election in adherence with the constitution without any interference from external sources.