KURIGRAM, July 21, 2023 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister and
Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said parliamentary
polls will be held as per the constitution of the country and current
government will perform duties of poll-time government.
 
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will discharge duties of the premier during the
polls. There is no chance to go beyond the constitution for an inch," he told
journalists at Circuit House here before addressing the extended meeting of
district unit of AL as the chief guest.
 
In India, the UK, Australia, Japan, France and Germany in the continental
Europe and other democratic countries, existing government perform duties of
poll-time government and in the USA, existing president doesn't resign before
elections of president, he referred.
 
BNP is demanding caretaker government system which only exists in Pakistan,
he mentioned.
 
"My question is that why they (BNP) only follows Pakistan. Mirza Fakhrul (BNP
secretary general) few days ago said Pakistan (period) was better. So, it is
natural that they would follow Pakistan," Hasan said.
 

About BNP's movement, the AL joint general secretary said: "Now BNP's
situation is as like as confined lion. It is as like as too much talks end in
nothing. They have nothing to do anything else."
 
If BNP tries to destroy the country's peace and order, the government will
deal them in iron hand and the AL along with people will resist them.
 
Reply to a question about visit of delegations of the European Union (EU) and
the USA, the minister said the EU delegation came at the invitation of the
Election Commission, not others.
 
As they came at the EC's invitation, they held talks with the commission,
ruling party and opposition party and others and their visit was very much
positive one, the minister said.

They invited them for holding a free, fair and proper elections and the EU
sent its delegation at the invitation and so, it is positive one, he said.
 
About the visit of the US under-secretary and high-level officials, Hasan said Bangladesh
has very good multidimensional relations with the USA. "They are our
development partner. Few days ago, we celebrated the 50 years of our
diplomatic relations. In light with that, their visit was to further
strengthen the ties," he said.
 
The minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave shelter to over 12 lakh
Rohingya people.
 
The US delegation visited the Rohingya camps, he said, adding before leaving
Bangladesh, they said the relations between the two nations will go ahead.
 
"Their visit also strengthened our ties," he said.
 
Kurigram district unit AL President Md Zafar Ali chaired the meeting at Zila
Parishad Hall while General Secretary Aman Uddin Ahmed Manju moderated it.
 
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain, AL Organizing
Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Central Members Advocate Safura Begum Rumi and
Advocate Hosne Ara Lutfa Dalia addressed the meeting, among others.