EC would reach acceptable solution over city election date: Quader

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Friday hoped that the election commission (EC) would reach an acceptable solution over Dhaka city polls showing respect to a religion.

“The Awami League or the government has no objection to change the date of Dhaka city polls as Saraswati Puja (of Hindu community) will be held on January 30 (on the day of elections). And it is under jurisdiction of the EC,” he said.

The Awami League general secretary came up with the statement at a press conference at AL President’s political office in the city’s Dhanmondi after a meeting of the party’s secretary level meeting.

Quader said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is spreading misleading information over the EVM use in the upcoming city elections.

 “He (Fakhrul) himself was elected in a seat (in the general election) where the EVMs were used. A BNP candidate also won a municipality election in Bogura where voting was held using EVMs,” he said.

Replying to a question, the AL general secretary said BNP leaders are simultaneously making derogatory remarks on Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina and other AL leaders but AL did not file any case against them. “They will not find such freedom in any part of the world,” he added.

Coming down heavily on Gono Forum chief Dr Kamal Hossain for his remarks on the city polls, Quader said the EC has announced the election schedule. The government did not do any wrong in this regard and that is why the remarks of Kamal were not fair at all, he added.

Quader urged the AL leaders who are contesting in the city elections as councillor candidates without the party’s consent to withdraw their candidature.

Replying to another query, the AL general secretary said the party central committee and advisory council members will pay homage to the mazar (Shrine) of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Tungipara on January 24 and will offer milad and doa there.

AL joint general secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, organising secretaries Ahmad Hossain, BM Mujammel Haque, Mirza Azam, SM Kamal Hossain, Advocate Afzal Hossain and Shakhwat Hossain Shafiq, cultural affairs secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil, publicity and publication secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, agriculture and cooperatives affairs secretary Faridunnahar Laily, office secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, science and technology affairs secretary Engineer Abdus Sabur, health affairs secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana and women affairs secretary Meher Afroz Chumki were, among others, present.