Minister of Information and Broadcasting Hasan Mahmud said that even if nominations are made from Awami League in all the seats, coordination will be done with the 14-party alliance. He told this to reporters at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting meeting room at the secretariat on Monday (November 27) at noon.
The minister said, in 2008, we had elected as a coalition. Still nominations were given in about 300 seats. Later adjustments were made within the Grand Alliance. Last time too, almost all the seats were nominated and later coordinated with the coalition. Nominations have been given for 298 seats. First of all, we have said that we will have a coalition election. It was announced by our team. Nomination will be coordinated with the coalition. He further said that since it has not been decided how it will be done in any place, nominations have been given in all the constituencies. Necessary measures will be taken later in coordination with the alliance. We will conduct elections in a 14-party alliance. Besides, coordination with others will also be done.
Earlier on Sunday, Awami League announced the names of party candidates in 298 seats leaving two seats vacant in the 12th National Parliament election. The two vacant seats are Kushtia-2 and Narayanganj-5. Meanwhile, Awami League’s joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nashim has received Awami League’s nomination for Workers’ Party president Rashed Khan Menon’s seat, an important candidate of the 14-party alliance.
In this regard, the journalists want to know from the Information Minister whether the nomination of Awami League’s central leader in Menon’s seat is creating an embarrassing situation or not. In response, the information minister said, of course not. Almost all the seats have been nominated. Where the leaders of the alliance will be elected and we will agree and coordinate with them, then necessary measures will be taken.
He said, 71-72 people of Awami League have been dropped, some candidates are dropped in every election. This time it was already said that those who fell behind in the popularity race, or were controversial for any reason, would not be nominated. Because of that, many candidates have dropped out this time. Dropping out is normal. It doesn’t matter who is the minister or big leader there. Those who are not popular are not nominated. Sheikh Hasina is the chairman of the nomination board. Apart from this, the Prime Minister was being investigated by the party for more than two years. Those reports are collected and considered in terms of popularity and team requirements.
The minister said that many political parties have announced to participate in the elections. Many BNP leaders have announced to take part in elections under Trinamool BNP leadership or otherwise. We hope that there will be a large participation of people in the polls.
Hasan Mahmud said that those who were elected unopposed in 2014 had to pay a fine, while reminding them this time, she (Sheikh Hasina) said that she did not say it for our party. He said not to discourage anyone who wants to be a candidate in various ways, from a minor party or even as an independent candidate. That doesn’t mean that our team is told. This time many political parties are participating in the elections. We hope that there will be a large participation of people in this. More important than which party participates is whether or not the public participates.
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