Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday said there is no alternative to elections to change the government by addressing the BNP leaders.
He said: "If BNP leaders want to change the government, they must take part in elections."
The ruling party leader said this while addressing a discussion at a function marking the National Mourning Day, organized by Swadhinata Chikitshak Parishad (SWACHIP) of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) unit.
Drawing the attention of BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul he said: "I want to inform you clearly that if you want any change in the government then you have to participate in the polls, it is not possible to change the government without holding polls."
About the use of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in the elections, the ruling party leader said this technology has been used in various elections of the local government, the EVM was even used in municipalities and city corporation polls and nobody raised any question.
"We want a free and fair election which would be free from violence, forgery and rigging," he told the function.
Those who consider elections as a system of rigging or forgery have no faith in EVM, said Quader, adding, "They sometimes demand caretaker government for participating in polls. They also say that there will be no elections under EVM."
Quader asked the BNP leaders why they did not attend the EC dialogue, saying that the elections will be held under the EC.
BNP have to come in elections for their existence, he added.
"We will quit power if the people do not vote for us," he said, adding people are the source of power.
Referring to Bangabandhu’s assassination, the ruling party leader said Bangabandhu's killing was the most gruesome assassination among all the bloodsheds that happened in the world.
The bloodshed of 1975 was staged to take revenge for 1971, said the minister, questioning how it could be explained that Zia had no connection with the bloodshed.
Ziaur Rahman was the mastermind of Bangabandhu assassination and his son Tareque Rahman was the mastermind of another massacre on August 21, Quader said.
Recalling the supreme sacrifice of Bangabandhu's family, the Awami League general secretary said a family has embraced ruination for the sake of democracy, adding that Bangladesh has been illuminated due to the sacrifice of this particular family.
Chaired by the convener of SWACHIP BSMMU unit Prof Dr Abu Nasar Rizvi, the discussion was also addressed, among others, by Bangladesh Medical Association President Dr Mostafa Jalal Mahiuddin, BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed, Awami League Health and Population Affairs Secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana, SWACHIP President Dr M Iqbal Arsalan, its Secretary General Dr Mohammad M A Aziz and Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Secretary General Dr Ihtesamul Huq Chowdhury.
