‘I’ll retire happily if new leader is elected’

She made the comment in response to a query during a press conference at Ganabhaban held yesterday to brief the media about her recent visit to Canada and the US. The Daily Samakal Editor Golam Sarwar wanted to know how the Awami League president had planned to recast her party at its 20th national council slated for October 22 to 23. “Awami League is the oldest and largest political party in the country. Its leadership has been changed through councils. This year the new leadership will be elected through the votes of delegates and councillors at the council session. There is no alternative way,” she said. “I have been elected the party chief for the past 35 years. It is quite a long time. I am also tired now. I will be the happiest person if the party gives me the chance to retire,” said Hasina, who just observed her 70th birthday on September 28. The senior leaders of the party present at the press conference shouted “no, no” immediately after her remark. Regarding the BNP’s call to reconstitute the Election Commission in a more transparent manner, Hasina said: “If you take a closer look at the BNP’s track records, they were the one who included approximately 13.1 million fake voters during their 2001-2006 tenure. I am certain that they are conspiring the same now.” She said that her government had introduced digital voter ID card with photographs and cancelled all the fake voters. Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Engineer Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Prime Minister’s Media Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam were with the prime minister on the dais. PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim moderated the press conference.