Municipal polls will be free, fair: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday assured that the upcoming municipal elections would be held in free, fair and impartial manner and urged the people to remain alert so none could snatch their voting rights, reports UNB.

"Local-body elections are not held on party basis and no party symbols are used. People will elect their representatives on their choice," she said addressing the nation over radio and TV on the eve of holy Eid-ul-Fitr.

While alerting all against any design to undo the voting rights, the Prime Minister reminded that people's franchise had been established at the cost of blood and prolonged movement.

Her caution came in the wake of opposition movement, including hartal on the day of filing nominations on January 26, for cancellation of the municipal election schedule and resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner before going to the polls. Voting for the poura elections has been scheduled for February 23-25.

Hasina in her address said the local governments had been strengthened for the welfare of the people and the elected representatives would give leadership in development in their localities, which she hoped would accelerate the development work.

She said Awami League believes in the politics of independence, human rights, the rule of law and, above all, the right to vote and food.

"We are committed to establishing the rule of law in the country," she said mentioning in this context that the verdict in the killing of Bangabandhu has been delivered and trial of the killing of four national leaders inside jail has begun.

Against the backdrop of such a political scenario of the country, the Prime Minister made a call for those who "do not believe in killings, coup and conspiracy and want to uphold the spirit of Liberation War and democracy" to come forward to work together for the nation's economic emancipation.

Giving Eid greetings to the people of the country on the occasion of the greatest Muslim festival, she also called upon the people to work in unison to build a happy, prosperous and exploitation-free Bangladesh as dreamt by Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, sinking all differences and imbibing the tenets of holy Ramadan.

Giving a brief resume of various welfare activities of her government Hasina said it successfully tackled history's worst flooding last monsoon at the grace of Almighty Allah.

She referred to her visit to Makkah where she sought blessings of the Almighty when the country had been suffering from the unprecedented floods.

The Prime Minister said about three crore people of 70 per cent areas of the country had been affected by the floods. The country has incurred an estimated loss of Tk 10,228 crore in agriculture, industrial and infrastructure sectors.

Hasina recalled that the people and military and civil administrations had worked shoulder to shoulder to face the calamity. The international community also came forward with assistance.

"Many aired fears that two crore people would die of starvation and post-flood diseases. But with the grace of Allah, the flood losses have been minimised," she said.

The Prime Minister said the government had distributed 62,000 metric tonnes of food as grants till December. Another 2.40 lakh MT foodgrain was distributed among the poor families on 42.52 lakh VGF cards.