Conspiracies on to thwart polls

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said different quarters are conspiring to thwart the January 5 elections that are important for continuing the constitutional process in the country.  
“The conspirators of 1/11 of 2007 are back with multifaceted plots and schemes to foil the upcoming elections and bring undemocratic forces to power,” she told an election rally at Mirpur Adarsha High School ground in the capital.
The address by Hasina comes three days before the national polls boycotted by the majority of political parties, including the main opposition BNP.
Saying the elections would be held in a free, fair and neutral manner, the AL president urged people to exercise their democratic right to vote, and resist those who try to foil the elections.  

In the meantime, the BNP-led 18-party alliance threatened to foil the elections and continue its blockade programmes across the country.  
Hasina also spoke at two other rallies in Mirpur and Uttara and sought votes for AL-nominated candidates Kamal Ahmed Majumder, Ilias Uddin Mollah and Shahara Khatun.
The premier said, "A group of civil society members, who brought to power the unconstitutional government through the 1/11 political changeover in 2007 and wanted to form the king's party, is still working to create a similar situation.”     
She added, “The civil society members, who think they are eminent persons, want to destroy democracy time and again because they feel ignored when a democratic government is in power.”
They become more important if there is an undemocratic and unconstitutional government, said Hasina, alerting people about those who want no good for the country and its people.
She said the government has tried everything to hold dialogue with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to solve the ongoing political impasse, but the opposition leader refused to take the opportunities.
The AL chief said the opposition leader boycotted the elections, as Jamaat-e-Islami could not take part in the polls following a High Court order that declared illegal its registration as a political party.
“The Awami League always acts on whatever people want, but the BNP always goes against their wishes,” she said. She added that the execution of war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah, which was a popular demand, has effaced the stigma of the nation.  
Referring to the BNP-led alliance's ongoing movement, the premier said it is not a movement, but terrorism, as people are not involved in it. She alleged the BNP chairperson has resorted to killings through bombings and arson attacks by hired criminals.  
Hasina remarked that her government has curbed terrorism and militancy while the BNP chairperson has harboured them.
She highlighted various developments made by her government in the last five years, and pledged to undertake many more development projects if voted into power again.