Zakir Hossain / Dhaka
Bangladesh’s interim government has reaffirmed that the 13th parliamentary election will be held in February before Ramadan, brushing aside claims of conspiracies to derail the process.
Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, said on Friday, “The election will be held exactly as stated by the chief adviser and there is no doubt about it. Many are sowing seeds of confusion and I would tell them, just stop it.” He was speaking to reporters in Magura after offering prayers at the graves of Shaheed Rabbi and Shaheed Al Amin.
He stressed that all state institutions are “working relentlessly” with the Election Commission to ensure a free, fair and inclusive vote. The EC is expected to unveil the election roadmap next week.
Political tensions persist, however, with reports that exiled Awami League leaders, including Sheikh Hasina, are urging party members in India to engage in subversive activities to stall the polls.
Reiterating the government’s stance, Home Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said Saturday, “We are strictly adhering to the timeline announced by the Chief Adviser. The election will be held in the month announced by CA and there is no need to listen to speculative comments.”He added during a campaign in Dhaka, “If the people are heading towards the elections, no power can stop the election as the people are source of all power.”