A political party, the activities of which are currently banned, wants to foil the upcoming general elections to be held in next February, said home affairs adviser retired Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Sunday.
聽He made the remark to journalists at a press briefing after a core committee meeting on the law and order at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
聽About the fire incident at the Jatiya Party central office in the capital on Saturday, he said, 鈥榃hen the police act humanely, violence and arson take place. But when they act strictly, they face criticism.鈥�
Noting that the government is making every effort to ensure a fair election, he said that law enforcement agencies were working to ensure that the polls would not be disrupted in any way.聽
He said, 鈥榃e are taking preparations for the election, and the training will start from September 7, but how free and fair the national election will be depends largely on the participating political parties.鈥�
Law enforcement agencies are providing all possible cooperation in ensuring security and order and will continue to do so, he said, adding, 鈥極nly through cooperation from all sides can we deliver a free, peaceful, and festive聽election.鈥�
Referring to various movements blocking roads in the capital, he said that since the interim government took office, there had been 1,604 blockades in Dhaka and surrounding areas, staged by 123 organisations.
Mentioning that these blockades cause public sufferings, he said, 鈥業nstead of blockading roads, such demonstrations should be held in designated venues, whether in open fields or at the Suhrawardy Udyan.鈥�
鈥極f course, people have demands and have the right to voice them, but that should not be done at the cost of public sufferings,鈥� he added.
Stressing unity among the political parties, Jahangir said that the unity built among political parties after the fall of the fascist regime must be maintained.
鈥榃hile there may be differences in principles, policies and ideologies, political parties must set aside personal and partisan interests and remain united for the sake of national interest and a transition to democracy,鈥� he said.
鈥業f unity breaks down, fascist forces could take advantage and create chaos and anarchy,鈥� he added.
He said that apart from the national election, the meeting also discussed the Dhaka University Central Students鈥� Union election, progress in cases filed over July uprising, narcotics control, and the spread of fake news on social media. 聽
On May 10, the interim government banned all activities of the Bangladesh Awami League until the trial of its leaders and activists for their atrocities during the students-led mass uprising that led to the ouster of the AL regime on August 5.
