Voter turnout to be satisfactory despite intimidation: AL tells EU delegation

The voter turnout will be satisfactory in the upcoming national election despite intimidation, Awami League told the visiting European Union delegation today (26 December).

"There is fear but voter turnout will be satisfactory as there is evident enthusiasm among the people. There is no reason to worry about the turnout," Awami League General Secretary Obadul Quader told reporters after the meeting this evening.

"It is a constitutional obligation to hold elections every five years. Power is handed over to the elected government after elections. That is the constitutional obligation," Quader said he told the EU team. 

The two-member EU team visited the Dhaka District Awami League office in the capital's Tejgaon on Tuesday afternoon. Obaidul Quader led the AL delegation at the meeting.

The EU delegation took his explanation for the elections positively, he said while briefing the media after the meeting.

"They [EU delegation] were more interested in listening to us. They did not want to comment. We did not insist either. We talked about our election," the AL leader said.

"They [EU] are actually worried more about Ukraine, Gaza-Israel-Palestine," he said, adding that the delegation wanted to know about election preparations. 

He acknowledged that there is fear but insisted that voter turnout would be satisfactory. "The BNP is a big party, but there can be questions about voter turnout. We told the delegation that the standard of elections maintained in democratic countries would be maintained."

On the issue of violence surrounding the elections, Quader said, "We told them that violence is happening but we are responding to it with peaceful elections." 

Quader, who is also Road Transport and Bridges minister, said he sees no issue if AL activists are working for independent candidates. "We want to show the world new experiences. It is also a democracy based on public opinion."

He said independent candidates come from not only the AL but also from the BNP and other parties.

Regarding seat sharing, the AL general secretary said it is about the ruling party supporting its allies.

Referring to a recent report of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Obaidul Quader said, "TIB is a branch organisation of the BNP. What the BNP says is what TIB says. I am not talking about TIB International. I will speak about its Bangladesh chapter."

It may be mentioned that in its report, TIB stated that for the upcoming national polls, 571 candidates from different parties and independents have declared movable assets worth at least Tk1 crore, with 18 among them possessing assets valued at Tk100 crore or more.