DHAKA, Jan 9, 2024 (BSS)- Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the countrymen have rejected BNP’s call of boycotting election and the voters exercise their franchise with festivity.

“BNP campaigned against the election and called all to boycott it. They also torched a train on January 5 and attacked in different polling centers on January 4 to January 6,” he said while exchanging views with reporters at his office at secretariat here.

Dr Hasan said the countrymen have rejected their arson attacks and terrorist activities. In fact, a festive mood was prevailing across the country centering the election, he said.

The minister said BNP and their like-minded political parties are now in full despair for boycotting the election. Now they could realize that they suffered huge loss from the decision.

He said the observers of US, different countries of the European Union, SAARC countries including India, OIC countries and the United Nations have admitted in a press conference that the election was held in a free, fair and neutral manner in the country. Even, they congratulated the Prime Minister in courtesy calls on Monday, he said.

About the statement of the High Commissioner of UNHRC, Hasan Mahmud said, “I’ve read out the statement. There were no comments about arson attacks, vandalism and terrorist activities of BNP and death of innocent people. It stated about the human rights and arrests. But the reality is that all the arrested persons were involved in arson attack.”

The minister urged the UNHRC high commissioner to make some statements about the killing in Palestine. The statement would have been acceptable if it had spoken and condemned the way in which people were burnt to death and terror and arson attacks were carried out to foil the election, he added.

About the statement of US State Department, he said the statement reflects anti-Russian and anti-China stand of the USA government. 

"In the global context, we have always seen that what China and Russia says, the United States says the opposite. When India, China, Russia simultaneously said that our election was free and fair, then USA has given opposite opinion,” he said.
 
“I think the US Statement might have been different if China and Russia had not congratulated the prime minister earlier,” Hasan said.

Dr Hasan noted that the observers of January 7, 2024 election include former Chief of Staff of the White House of the USA, former congressmen, the chief news editor of CBS News, former members of the EU Parliament and from other countries including Germany. In a post-poll press conference all of them praised the poll saying the election was held in a free, fair and festive atmosphere, he said.

Terming the relations between Bangladesh and the USA are multidimensional Dr Hasan said, we are also working on different issues including security. 

“USA is our big development partner. We are working together to develop our relation further. In the statement they said that they will work with us," he said.

Extending thanks and gratitude to the countrymen for joining the poll festivity with much enthusiasm, Dr Hasan said the election was held in a very free, fair and peaceful manner and the voting turnout was 41.8 percent.