Staff Correspondent

Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said it is a big success that 30 registered political parties are participating in the 12th general elections slated for January 7.

"Thirty former lawmakers, including 15 central leaders of BNP, are participating in the forthcoming polls," he told a press conference on contemporary issues at the AL President's political office in the city's Dhanmondi.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said ensuring participation of 30 parties in the elections is a big success, while 15 central leaders of BNP and 30 former lawmakers are joining the polls.

"In many countries in Europe, Africa and Latin America, opposition parties do not participate in elections. Does it make the elections illegal? It is not fair that the election will not be participatory if some parties do not join it," he said.

He mentioned that 15 central leaders of BNP, including Syed AK Ekramuzzaman, Manzur Alam, Shawkat Mahmud, Taimur Alam Khandker, Shamser Mobin Chowdhury, Shahjahan Omar, BNP executive committee members Ahsan Habib and AKM Fakhrul Islam and 30 former MPs, including Shah Mohammad Zafar and Major (Retd) Akhtaruzzaman, are taking part in the elections.

Quader said after many days, a festive atmosphere is being seen all over the country centering the polls and it is important that the election is being held with people's participation. "It doesn't matter which parties join the polls or not."

About the AL's decision to give the party ticket to BNP leader Shahjahan Omar for Jhalkathi-1, the AL general secretary said Shahjahan Omar has joined the Awami League willingly and it is a strategic decision of the AL.

Asked about seat sharing with allies and independent candidates, he said it will be discussed by maintaining party discipline.

By observing the political situation, decisions will be taken about them until December 16 and the party's independent candidates will also not be able to vie in polls randomly, Quader said.

He pointed out that Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) and SHUJAN (Citizens for Good Governance) are not saying anything about the violence and terrorist acts BNP men are carrying out across the country in the name of movement but they talk about democracy and human rights.

AL Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organising Secretary BM Mozammel Haque, Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan and Executive Member Shafiqul Islam, among others, were present.