The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Former Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) president Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the national elections must be held on December 18 of the sake of restoring democracy in the country and urged the government to shun the idea of deferring the election from the scheduled date.

while addressing a meeting marking the 36th founding anniversary of Awami Juba League at the Engineers Institution.

She raised the question that what type of rule will be imposed on the country, If the elections could not be held on December 18?

"No sooner had the election approaches near hand, Conspiracy is going on to foil the election sensing the certain winning of Awami League. If any party says it has no preparation for election, the election can not be deferred," she said.

She was critical on the various activities of the caretaker government saying, " The government has announced the election roadmap but, after climbing the road, it lost the map. The Government is supposed to arrange the national elections within three months of assuming office, but it could not been hold the election in nearly two years."

"This government has been given enough time. The people do not give any more time. Election must be held on December 18. People want nothing but election," she told the meeting amidst cheers and slogans from her young followers.

"Democracy cannot be ensured without election. The next parliament will have to pass the ordinances promulgated by the President. At the eleventh hour prior to the election, with whom the government is making entente? Why so much indulgence?" she questioned.

She added that the government seemed to be trying to grip the power. But People do not want such government anymore. They want peace and food. The people are waiting for only free and fair elections.

She also called on the people to be alert to resist any manipulation of the election result.

"The people suffered a lot in the past years. So now they want efficient leadership for building a good future of Bangladesh," Hasina said.

She said, "When the caretaker government resumed the power, people had welcomed it for

its anti-corruption drive. But now it seems that the government is out to clean real corrupt who had destroyed the country during the last five years,"

Sheikh Hasina assured that if AL voted to power, they would make education up to honors level free of cost and create more employment opportunities.

Hasina said that AL had planed to eradicate poverty from Bangladesh by 2021,in the year the golden jubilee of independence and emphasised on using strength f the youth in rebuilding a better future of the country.

Awami League presidium members Amir Hossain Amu , Presidium member Sheikh Selim,

among others, address the meeting while Juba League chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanak presided over the meeting.