Polls Schedule: AL won’t accept change in charter-set time frame

Awami League will not accept delaying of the elections beyond January 29, said its General Secretary Obaidul Quader.

“The constitution has set a time frame for the elections. We will never support deferment of the polls beyond that deadline. We will not accept any such changes,” he said while briefing reporters at the AL president’s political office in Dhanmondi yesterday.

The tenure of the current parliament expires on January 29. According to the constitution, the national election must be held anytime within the last 90 days of a parliament’s tenure. The 90-day countdown began on November 1.

Alleging that the BNP wants to obstruct the January 7 polls, Quader said, “They want to make the election questionable. Now they are openly putting up obstacles and taking a stand against the election.”

He said sanctions should be imposed on those who are trying to obstruct the polls.

“They [BNP] are obstructing the democratic process and setting fire [to vehicles] one after another. Why are those, who talk about human rights, good governance, and fair elections, silent now?”

Quader said by calling hartals and blockades and attacking law enforcers, a vested quarter is challenging the constitution and democracy.

“Why is there silence about those who are obstructing the elections? I want to ask the civil society members about it. No one has said anything yet. Europe does not say anything, America does not say anything either.”

“They [the US] said earlier that they clarified their stance regarding those who would try to obstruct the election. Why are they not saying anything now?” Quader said.

AL Organising Secretary BM Mozammel Haque, Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Liberation War Affairs Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das, and Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan, among others, were present at the briefing.