Bringing any party to election is not government' responsibility: Minister

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Saturday (8 April) said it is not the responsibility of the government to bring any party to the election.

"Election Commission is in charge of holding the election and the government (ruling) party is a party in the election like other political parties. It is not the responsibility of the government to bring any political party to polls," he said.

The information minister said this while participating in the discussion on the proposal presented by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina under Rule 147 in the special session on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the National Parliament on Saturday.

Mentioning that the national elections will be held in the last week of December this year or the first week of January next year, the information minister said that today there are various conspiracies to obstruct the elections and threats are being made not to participate in the parliamentary elections.

Elections should be held on time regardless of whether any party comes to the polls or not to keep democracy and parliament functional and to consolidate parliamentary democracy, said the minister.

"Fair, free and impartial elections will be held. All parties will participate in the polls. It is not the government's responsibility to invite someone and take them to the polls," he added.

He alleged that the opposition party BNP is hatching various conspiracies to obstruct the polls.

In this connection he recalled that BNP set fire to 500 polling stations to rig the 2014 elections, "Dozens of people killed. However, parliamentary elections were held. Parliament continues to run. The march of democracy continues."

"Even today the conspiracy has started. A few days ago, the BNP MPs resigned to obstruct the progress of the parliament and the parliamentary democracy by showing thumbs up to the parliament. They resigned to obstruct the democracy of the country," said Hasan.

Jatiya Party MP Anisul Islam Mahmud said that there might be a difference of opinion among the political parties.

"However, if you want to establish democracy in the true sense, if you want to make the parliament really work, there must be a discussion about the sufferings of people in this parliament."

He said there should be loyalty to the party but the state and people are above the party.

Referring to the next election, the former minister said that the election should be acceptable to the people.

"Who will do it? It is said that it is not the responsibility of the government. I also believe that it is not the government's responsibility. It cannot be the government's responsibility to bring all the parties to the elections. It is the responsibility of the Election Commission."

He said that the Election Commission has to create that environment. "But the government should provide the necessary support to the Election Commission to create the environment. That is the responsibility of the government."