Dhaka, Nov 3—Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has hit back at BNP's criticism over troops deployment in Narayanganj elections, saying Khaleda Zia expected that the army would snatch votes to help them win the ballot.
She said on Thursday, "What happened in Narayanganj that called for deployment of army [for the election]?"
Asserting that "nothing was wrong there [Narayanganj]", she added, "All of a sudden, the Election Commission sent a letter for army deployment. But the commission did not invite the army to their meeting on law and order situation in Narayanganj."
Hasina, also the ruling Awami League president, said, "She [Khaleda] hoped the army will snatch votes for their victory. Is it army's duty to steal votes?"
She was speaking at a discussion marking the Jail Killing Day at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.
The prime minister referred to the BNP chairperson ordering their candidate Taimur Alam Khandaker to boycott the elections just seven hours before the first-ever balloting of the newly formed city corporation over the army not being deployed. "Why does she want to use the army for stealing votes?"
She said her government provided all executive assistance to the EC to stage the vote. "Adequate law enforcers had been provided."
Responding to those saying the constitution was violated for not deploying the army, she argued, "There has been no violation of the constitution."
BNP had maintained that the non-deployment of army was a 'violation of the constitution' that made the EC a 'useless organisation'.
Hasina stated that the army is under the command of the government head [prime minister], who is also the defence ministry chief, she said, "Only the government head can decide whether the army will go out of the barrack or not."
Though, the EC sent a letter to the Armed Forces Division on Oct 16 to deploy four companies of troops for the Oct 30 vote, there was no military support for the election officials.
Election commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain on Tuesday said that they would formally demand explanations from the government why it did not deploy army in the polls despite requisition.
About the non-deployment of army, the prime minister said, "The commission sent the letter at such a time when we were abroad and busy."
Rebel Awami League candidate Selina Hayat Ivy defeated Awami League-backed Shamim Osman by 101,343 votes in the NCC polls.
WAR CRIMES TRIAL
Criticising the BNP chief's demand to release the leaders of BNP and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami who are in jail over war crimes charges, Hasina said, "She has taken to the streets to protect the war criminals."
"The trials of these criminals will be held in this land. The people will be free from this curse. They want the trial of the war criminals."
The prime minister claimed that the people had answered to Khaleda on the issue in the NCC polls. "The nation did not like her stance against the Liberation War."
She also added that both Awami League candidates had secured the first and second places in the ballot.
TALK SHOWS
The prime minister also slated those who had been the criticising the government on talk shows in TV channels, saying non-deployment of army in the election was a 'violation of the constitution'.
She said, "In 2003 and 2004, the then chief election commissioner M A Sayeed had sought army for the general elections. But no army was deployed. We still have the letter."
Hasina asked whether the constitution was violated for not deploying army for those polls which took place under the then BNP-led coalition government.
FROM:bdnews24.com
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