They wanted to play, but failed: Prime Minister

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has said that they (BNP-Jamaat) wanted to play with polls but failed.

The Prime Minister said this when the Awami League (AL) leaders and activists gathered at Ganabhaban to wish Sheikh Hasina on her party's landslide victory in the national polls, paving her way to become prime minister for the fourth consecutive term.

Younger daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and younger sister of the Prime Minister, Sheikh Rehana presented a flower bouquet to her elder sister Sheikh Hasina.

Despite conspiracies of the BNP-Jamaat clique to thwart the 12th parliamentary election, Sheikh Hasina said a free, fair, neutral and participatory election was held with spontaneous participation of the people.

Sheikh Hasina said the BNP leaders and activists have now become frustrated as their party boycotted the election.

She said the BNP-Jamaat clique has tried time and again to foil elections in 2014 and 2018.

“But they had failed," she said, adding that the same thing happened to them this time too as the people took part in the election spontaneously.

The premier said, to BNP foiling the election is burning the people to death and damaging public and private properties.

“The January 7th election will be written in golden letter in the history of Bangladesh,” she said extending thanks to the people concerned including election commission, law enforcement forces, and armed forces for holding a wonderful election.

She said the 7th January election was totally free, fair, disciplined, participatory and competitive among the polls held after 1975.

“We have proved that the election can be held in a free and fair manner under the Awami League government,” she said.

The prime minister asked the party leaders and workers to work in unison forgetting everything for the welfare of the country and its people.

Sheikh Hasina said, “BNP was out to foil the national election (held on January 7). They have some (foreign) masters. They don't know the Bangladesh people. It will not be possible to survive in Bangladesh following masters' advice”.

The premier said that they (AL) have no foreign masters as the people are their strength.

The premier commended the spontaneous participation of the women folk in the election, saying it is the outcome of ensuring women empowerment.

In this connection, she said a 130-year old woman had casted her vote for boat in her Tungipara-Kotalipara constituency.

She said that the non-participation of some political parties in election doesn't matter, adding the participation of the masses matters.

Mentioning that the masses had dislodged the BNP government within one and a half months as they assumed power through rigging in February 15, 1996 election.They had tried to come to power through manipulation in 2006 after incorporating 1.23 crore fake voters to the voter list and the people of the country made their attempt failed.

The Prime Minister reiterated her pledge to transform Bangladesh into a developed, prosperous and smart country by 2041.