Politics
Quader says US Visa Policy should be applied to BNP
In a recent address to journalists at the secretariat, the General Secretary of the Awami League (AL), Obaidul Quader, asserted that the US visa policy should be extended to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) due to their ongoing sit-in program at the entrance ways to Dhaka. Quader claimed that such demonstrations posed a significant impediment to conducting fair and transparent national elections.
Highlighting the issue, Quader pointed out that the BNP had organized sit-ins at multiple entry points to Dhaka after a public rally. Expressing concern over the nature of this protest ahead of the national elections, the AL General Secretary criticized the party for potentially disrupting the electoral process. He further emphasized the need to address the matter and called for measures, similar to the US visa policy, to be implemented against those who organize such movements.
The sit-in protests have caused disruptions to traffic and daily activities in the capital city, raising concerns among the ruling party about the potential impact on the democratic process. The Awami League, as the party currently in power, advocates for a conducive environment for conducting free and fair elections, urging other political parties to cooperate in ensuring a smooth electoral process.
Lawmakers from the Awami League and independent candidates elected in the January 7 polls took their oath as members of the parliament today. The ceremony, administered by the 11th Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, commenced at 10:30 am in the Parliament Complex’s Oath Room.
Speaker Chaudhury, along with independent parliament members, took oath earlier, with Jatiya Party and other faction MPs following suit at 12 pm. The constitution mandates newly elected MPs to take the oath within three days of election results being published in an official gazette, as per Article 148 (2A). A gazette notification on the 12th National Elections’ results, detailing 298 newly elected members, was issued on Tuesday. The new cabinet is scheduled to be sworn in at Bangabhaban at 7 pm on Thursday (January 11).
The Awami League secured 222 out of 298 seats, with independent candidates, mostly aligned with AL, winning 62 seats. Jatiyo Party and single candidates from other parties also claimed victories. After the oath, the AL parliamentary party will elect Sheikh Hasina as their leader, paving the way for her fifth term as prime minister. The president will administer the oath to the new prime minister, who will then form a cabinet with ministers and state ministers chosen by her.
The Awami League (AL) is gearing up to celebrate its victory in the national polls with a rally in Dhaka. Scheduled for January 10 at Suhrawardy Udyan, the event coincides with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Homecoming Day, as announced by Obaidul Quader, the party’s general secretary, during a press conference at the Dhaka District Awami League office in Tejgaon on Monday afternoon.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the Awami League, is set to lead the rally, commencing at 2:30 pm. The Awami League secured an overwhelming majority in the parliamentary elections, winning 223 out of 299 seats. This decisive victory paves the way for Prime Minister Hasina’s fourth consecutive term and her fifth term in total. The rally at Suhrawardy Udyan serves as a platform for the Awami League to celebrate its triumph and rally support.
On Friday, Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen stated that if the United States’ statements about the visa policy are accurate, then the policy should be applied to BNP leaders as they aim to disrupt the election. The foreign minister made these comments after a meeting with a US observer team at his residence in Sylhet in the evening.
He mentioned that BNP’s current popularity in the country has declined, and they have chosen the path of terrorism. He added that the people of the country are not concerned about Khaleda Zia’s imprisonment, and the party is suffering due to the immaturity of its leadership.
In response to a question, the minister mentioned that 227 observers and journalists from various countries worldwide would come to monitor the upcoming election. He noted that members of the US observer team did not provide comments on the election; instead, they were gathering information. The US team included Geoffrey McDonald, Senior Advisor, Asia Pacific, IRI, Amitab Ghosh, Senior Program Manager, IRI, and David Hogstra, Program Manager, IRI.
