Political Desk: Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday said BNP is gradually lagging behind in politics of votes due to its weak leadership and ill political practice.
“BNP is always making blind criticism and spreading falsehood against the government without seeking votes to people. Such political culture of BNP is weakening the party’s existence gradually,” he told a press conference on contemporary issues at his official residence.
Quader said the AL leaders who contested in the municipality polls against the party nominated candidates will not get nomination or important post in the party in the coming days.
Organizational steps will be taken against those who will not abide by the party decisions or violet the party discipline in the next phase municipality polls, he warned.
“Whether they win or lose in the polls, they will not get nomination in future. This is the decision of Awami League and Sheikh Hasina,” he said.
AL candidates attained landslide victory in the unofficial results of the second phase municipality polls held on Saturday.

The AL general secretary congratulated all the winners, saying this victory is the victory of the country’s development and progress under the bold and humanitarian leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

This victory is also the victory of taking ahead the journey of democracy one step ahead, he said.

Quader said as per the initial counting of the Election Commission (EC), the presence of voters was satisfactory as voter turnout was between 60 and 70 percent.

The massive presence of voters is the revelation of people’s continuous trust in Sheikh Hasina’s government and the election system, he added.

He said in the second phase municipality polls, the people have given reply to those who want to make the election system questionable, express dissatisfaction every now and then and spread propaganda over the elections.

About the remarks of BNP leaders that the polling centers were under the clutch of the ruling party, Quader questioned if the allegation is true, how four candidates of BNP won the polls.

BNP leaders are ‘celebrating the cold’ sitting at home without going to the election field, he said, adding that though workers of BNP wanted to cast their votes, the party leaders wanted to continue their cultural of polls boycotting in the midway of voting day.

He said the people are now smoothly casting their votes through electronic voting machine system as their eagerness in the EVM has increased.

During the BNP’s tenure, election meant conflicts, anarchy and loss of lives, the minister said, adding that during the tenure of AL government, conflicts and showdown of arms have been stopped in the local government elections.

Describing the conflict in Sirajganj as sorrowful, the AL general secretary said apart from two or one isolated incidents, the elections were held peacefully.

He extended thanks to members of law enforcement agencies for discharging their duties in holding the elections in a peaceful manner.