Elections

PID Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed a civic reception for Bangladeshi expatriates in Switzerland at the Hilton Hotel in Geneva on Thursday evening.

The next national elections will be held on time: Prime Minister

He said, "Elections will be held on time, the people will vote for them, the people will vote for whoever they want as the sole owner of their vote, and whoever gets the people's vote will form the government." It is a democratic process and it will continue.

The Prime Minister said this at a civic reception given to Bangladeshi expatriates in Switzerland at the Hilton Hotel in Geneva on Thursday evening. He said, BNP knows very well that they will not get any votes of the people for their bad work and that is why they are now looking for an excuse to withdraw from the election process.

Sheikh Hasina said, 'Actually they (BNP) are a party of thieves and vote riggers. It is not possible for them to come to power without stealing votes. He pointed out that in the past they seized state power by accepting the precondition of selling the country's assets. People don't want to see them (BNP) in power anymore and that's why they don't get people's votes.'

Regarding BNP's repeated threats to bring down the Awami League government, Sheikh Hasina said the government is not that weak. He said, "There was an uproar about December 10, they will overthrow the government, we are not at such a weak stage that they will overthrow us, we have the people with us, our strength is our people."

Regarding the BNP's demand for the formation of a caretaker government during the election, he said, "We have formed a completely independent Election Commission, but the BNP is still demanding a caretaker government." Questioning whether BNP has become mad or a child, the Prime Minister said, Khaleda Zia once claimed that no one is neutral except mad or a child. He also said that we will not allow Bangladesh to bow down to others by bringing thieves, anti-independence and murderers to power.

Referring to the self-sacrifice of Awami League leaders and activists in establishing democracy, he said, 'The democratic system that has been established in Bangladesh today is the result of our movement. The leaders and workers of my party gave their lives for this. And I narrowly escaped the grenade attack.'

Awami League leaders and activists including expatriate Bangladeshis living in various European countries including Switzerland were present in the event.