Sheikh Hasina casts vote, confident of AL win

Prime minister and Awami League (AL) president Sheikh Hasina has expressed her firm confidence about her party’s victory in the 11th parliamentary polls.

“I’m always confident about our victory in the elections … I trust my people and I know that they will choose us so that they can have a better life in future,” she told newsmen after casting vote at Dhaka City College Centre in Dhanmondi in the capital Sunday morning.

“I think that the victory of independence and the liberation war spirit will be made … the pro-liberation forces must be victorious,” Sheikh Hasina added.

Replying to a question about acceptance of the election results, the AL chief said her party believes in democracy and the people’s strength. “So, we would accept whatever decision the people will give,” she said.

Earlier, voting in the 11th parliamentary elections began at 8:00am and will continue uninterruptedly until 4:00pm amid tight security with the deployment of over 600,000 security members across the country.

Seeking vote again to the countrymen for boat, the AL’s electoral symbol, the prime minister expressed her firm belief that they will re-elect her party to keep up Bangladesh’s development.

“Bangladesh has started its journey towards the highway of development and I believe that the people will cast vote for boat to continue the uplift spree and give another scope to us to serve them,” she said.

“We hope that we’ll be able to turn Bangladesh into a more developed and prosperous country by implementing the projects that we undertook … I think boat will be surely victorious,” she added.

Pointing out that her party wants a free, fair and peaceful election, the AL president said: “We don’t want any violence, we want that the people will cast their vote peacefully which is their fundamental right … they will give vote and make victorious as per their wish.”

In this connection, the premier urged all voters, candidates and parties to have patience. “If we can hold the elections peacefully, whatever party comes to power, it will continue the pace of uplift,” she hoped.

Putting emphasis on maintaining development in the country, Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh Awami League liberated the country under the leadership of Bangabandhu.

“The country is witnessing a massive development since the Awami League was voted to power. Now Bangladesh is a developing country and I’ve firm belief that we’ll be able to transform Bangladesh into Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Bangabandhu by bringing smiles on the faces of the distressed people,” she said.

Alleging that the BNP-Jamaat nexus killed 10 AL leaders and workers across the country ahead of the polls, the prime minister said it is very regretful that four leaders of her party were brutally murdered by the BNP-Jamaat on Saturday.

“Our 10 leaders and workers including Patnitala AL president in Naogaon were killed by the BNP-Jamaat cadres in the last couple of days,” she said.

Source: bss