People should decide who will run Bangladesh: Hasina at Qatar Economic Forum

The prime minister says elections will be free and fair under her government

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that the next general election in Bangladesh will be held in a free and fair manner upholding democracy and voting rights of the people.

"People should decide who will run the country. It is people's power. So, I want to ensure people's power," she said at a session titled "In conversation with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina" of the Qatar Economic Forum at the Raffles Hotel in Doha on Wednesday.

Haslinda Amin, editor-at-large of QEF, anchored the session in a jam-packed audience hall room at the venue, according to the state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.

“I am here not to grab power. Rather I want to empower our people that they should have the right to choose their government,” BSS quoted her as saying.

Bangladesh is set to have its next elections either by December this year or in the first week of the next year.

Mentioning some parties' unwillingness to participate in polls,

Hasina criticised the BNP for its unwillingness to participate in elections under her government and said people suffered “greatly” during the BNP’s rule with “increased terrorism, corruption, nepotism, and exploitation”.

"Under our government, definitely elections will be free and fair," Hasina asserted as the opposition BNP and its allies launched a renewed campaign of street protests demanding the resignation of the Awami League government and to hold the next election under a neutral caretaker administration.

The prime minister is currently in Doha on a three-day visit to attend the Qatar Economic Forum 2023.