Get prepared to win next national polls

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday instructed her party's grassroots leaders to make preparations for winning the parliamentary elections for the third time in a row.

"To maintain the current pace of development, Awami League has to win for the third term. So, from now on you will have to make all-out preparations for that," Hasina told AL councillors during the second and final day of the party's triennial national council at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital.

Hasina, who was reelected as the party's president for the eighth consecutive term yesterday, said AL leaders and activists should go to the doorsteps of the voters in their respective areas and project the current government successes before them, reports BSS.

"If Awami League wants to retain power, we've to convince the people that the country's socio-economic development needs to be maintained," she was quoted as saying by UNB.

Hasina-led AL secured victory in the last two parliamentary elections.

The AL-led alliance won a landslide victory by defeating the BNP-led alliance in the December 2008 polls overseen by the caretaker government.

The AL retained power winning three-fourth majority comfortably in the January 2014 "one-sided" polls, boycotted by the BNP-led alliance. As many as 153 out of 300 MPs were elected unopposed in that elections held under the incumbent Hasina-government.

According to the constitution, the next election will also be held under the Hasina-led present government either at the end of 2018 or in January 2019.

It remains uncertain whether the next polls will be inclusive as the BNP keeps demanding restoration of the polls-time non-partisan government system -- a demand that has repeatedly been rejected by the AL.     

BSS adds that Hasina yesterday asked the party leaders and activists to stay alert so that those who pampered war criminals, those who killed people through arson attacks and are involved in money laundering cannot come to power.

Terming the honesty “a precious asset of politicians”, the AL chief said she wants to see honesty among the leaders and workers of her party.

The AL's 20th National Council was held to elect new leadership to run the party for the next three years. But it largely focused on the government's development activities -- already implemented or those at the stage of implementation.

On the occasion, most of the major Dhaka streets were illuminated with colourful lights. Numerous placards, billboards and festoons were lauding various achievements of the government.

The slogan of the event was: "We are marching down the highway of development, now is the time for Bangladesh to stand tall.”