Get ready for nat’l polls, but not under caretaker govt: Obaidul Quader

Online Desk

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said the caretaker government system had been abandoned in 2011 following a court order.

“This is a resolved matter now,” the minister said while speaking at a programme organised to hand over lease documents at Padma Bridge Toll Plaza in Lauhajong upazila in Munshiganj this afternoon.

“The High Court has sent the caretaker government system to the museum. There is no room for a new debate here. Don’t create chaos in the country now. Sheikh Hasina’s government wants free and fair election too. I will tell everyone to get ready for the election without creating any chaos,” he said.

Quader made the remark a day after BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned that his party will not accept any general election in the country if it is not held under a neutral government.

The minister said “getting a guarantee to win the election” is neutrality to BNP. “There is no issue regarding neutrality when the government is concerned. The Election Commission should be neutral,” he said.

“The President will form the Election Commission through a search committee in consultation with all. If the EC is neutral, the election will be neutral also,” Quader said.

“I, on behalf of the government, would like to say all elections are held under an Election Commission. So, there will be a fair election, have trust on the President. Elections in Bangladesh will be held the same way as they are held in other democratic countries across the world.”

“Our democracy has become more matured now,” he claimed.

During the programme, the minister distributed lease documents of 20 plots, out of 823. The rest will be given successively.

Abu Bakar Siddique, secretary of the Bridges Department, presided over the function.

Padma Bridge Project Director Shafiqul Islam, Major Coordinator of Rail Link Project Major General SM Zahid Hossain and Munshiganj-2 lawmaker Sagufta Yasmin Emily, among others, were present.