EC to conduct polls, govt to do routine work: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said the Election Commission (EC) will conduct the polls and the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will run the routine activities during the election period, as per the constitution, reports BSS.

“The parliamentary elections will be held as per the constitution like in other democratic countries in the world and there is no scope to go beyond this. The polls-time government will assist the EC and the commission will conduct the polls,” he said, speaking at a seminar in the auditorium of Institute of Diploma Engineers’ of Bangladesh (IDEB) here.

IDEB organized the seminar ‘Probability and Challenges of the Fourth Revolution’ marking its 22nd National Conference and 41st council session with its President MA Hamid in the chair. IDEB General Secretary Engineer Md Shamsur Rahman delivered the welcome speech in the seminar.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the demand of BNP to dissolve the parliament before the national polls is irrelevant and undesirable.

He said during the polls, the ministers will perform their routine works only and will not take any important decision at that time.

About deploying army during the polls, Quader said the EC will take a decision in this regard after observing the overall situation.

Regarding the demand of BNP to reform the EC, he said if they (BNP) win in polls, they say the EC is good. If they lose, they say the EC is bad. They will have to change the mentality, he added.

Welcoming different political alliances, Quader said the next parliament election will be a competitive one. There will be no problem if BNP does not take part in the polls, he added.

The minister said every registered political party can hold meetings in the Suhrawardy Udyan before the national polls by taking permission of the authorities concerned.