Unite to ensure victory in elections, says Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has warned Awami League leaders and activists to prevent squabbles from fumbling the party’s ‘assured victory’ in the upcoming eleventh parliamentary elections.

“The people are on our side,” Hasina said at a welcome event arranged by the Paris branch of the Awami League. “They are ready to vote and they will do so. Make sure no scheme against us succeeds. Divisions between us can allow these plots to sneak in.”

The Awami League president called for party unity.

“No conspiracy can succeed if we remain united.”

The prime minister is on a three-day trip to Paris for the One Planet Summit. The Awami League event on Tuesday night was held at the InterContinental hotel, where Hasina is staying. Awami League activists from other European countries also joined in at the event.

“The elections are coming,” Hasina told them. “We must win these elections and will be elected by the people. Bangladesh’s progress will continue its pace.”

On Monday the prime minister’s son and ICT advisor Sajeeb Wazed, popularly known as Joy, said the Awami League’s victory in the upcoming elections was assured.

"I sat with the Awami League leaders to convey good news. The AL will get more votes in the next election than it did in 2008 general election," he told the media, citing a Gallup poll.

“The election is close,” Hasina said at the Paris event. “The Election Commission says it will be held by December 2018. The campaign starts three months before the election. We have eight to nine months. We have to do our development work quickly so that its fruits reach the people.”

The development of Bangladesh will be obstructed if political powers, such as the BNP-Jamaat alliance, win the election, she said.