Government can be changed only through vote: PM

Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (18 November) sought blessing from the countrymen to hold a fair and peaceful election, saying the government can be changed only by vote and elections.

"We want the voting rights of the people to continue...and the government will be changed through votes," she said while inaugurating the selling of AL nomination forms for the 12th parliamentary elections at the party's central office in the capital's Bangabandhu Avenue.

The AL chief also called on the countrymen to remain vigilant and resist the persons who unleashed arson terrorism to foil the election, saying, "We've established voting rights of the people through a long struggle."

"So, people have to remain aware of those who are attempting to foil election and democratic system through arson terrorism," she added.

Sheikh Hasina, as well, thanked the political parties which took the decision to participate in the election.

"Those political parties are the ones that don't have trust and confidence in the people. They are not well organised as political parties and now trying to foil the election," she said.

She noted that foiling of election might have a heavy toll on a country.

Referring to the arson terrorism in 2013 and 2014 that caused the loss of lives and properties, she questioned, "What kind of politics is this, destroying lives and properties through arson terrorism?"

At the outset of the function, a nomination form was collected on behalf of the AL President.

AL Advisory Council Member Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed collected the nomination form of Sheikh Hasina for the Gopalganj-3 constituency.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina came to the central office of Awami League by a private car from Ganabhaban.

Later, she went to Bangabhaban by an official car to pay a courtesy call to the President.