Ruling Awami League yesterday turned down outright the main opposition BNP's demand for holding interim general election, claiming the grand alliance government still enjoys majority public support and is committed to complete its 5-year tenure.
Referring to The Daily Star-Nielsen's August 29 survey, it said 41 percent voters would vote for AL while only 20 percent would choose BNP if the elections were held tomorrow.
"The survey revealed that Awami League has been able to maintain its vote bank in last one and a half years in power. On the other hand BNP's support has marked a slide during this period," said AL Acting General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif while addressing a press conference at the party president's office in Dhanmondi.
He posed a question about why the popularity of BNP declined although the repute of main opposition in Bangladesh increase generally.
Talking about BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain's recent demand for interim general elections, Hanif said in parliamentary democracy, election is not held in any party or person's personal interest. BNP would rather have to wait for a certain period.
The AL leader, also a special assistant to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, urged the BNP leadership to assess the outcome of the survey and not to save the 'corrupt' members of Khaleda Zia family including Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman Koko.
"Don't try to save Tarique, Koko and other corrupts by causing public sufferings in the country," Hanif said asking the opposition party not to create any obstacles in the way to the trial of war criminals.
AL leaders BM Mojammel Haque, Ahmed Hossain, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Mrinal Kanti Das, Faridunnahar Laily, Afzal Hossain and Aminul Islam Amin, among others, were present at the press conference.
Source: thedailystar.net
