Habiganj by-polls a political win for AL: Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said yesterday though Awami League lost its parliamentary seat in Habiganj by-election, it is a political win for her party and the government in ensuring free and fair polling.
“We have politically won in Habiganj by-election. This has proved the government's commitment to establishing people's democratic rights to free and fair voting practices,” she said.
Addressing the council of the UK chapter of AL at Hotel Hilton in London, the AL president however said she is looking into why her party was defeated in Habiganj by-polls.
Recalling the Magura by-election marked by fraud and rigging, she said today people have seen that under a democratically elected government, by-elections can be held in a totally free and fair manner.
The then BNP government had plotted all kinds of evil designs to rig the Magura by-election, which had forced people to launch movement against then BNP government, noted the prime minister.
Hasina was critical of the opposition party for calling hartal in Brahmanbaria protesting results of the by-election in Brahmanbaria-3 seat won by AL.
The prime minister also described the recently held municipality elections as the most peaceful polling.
“AL and BNP have won almost equal number of seats in the municipality elections. However, these elections also have proved the government's commitment to true democracy,” she said.
Hasina regretted that BNP is not joining the parliamentary sessions though its candidates have contested the by-elections.
The prime minister urged the people and the expatriate Bangladeshis to remain alert against all types of conspiracies by the BNP-Jamaat alliance.
UK AL President Shamsuddin Khan chaired the council. Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, LGRD State Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak, UK AL adviser Sultan Sharif, also spoke.