Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the independent candidates who are in posts in different capacities of Awami League (AL) should be aware of party discipline.

“There have always been independent candidates in polls and many of them were elected. But the independent candidates of our party who are holding posts must keep the party discipline in mind,” he said.

The minister said this to reporters after submitting his nomination paper at Chattogram deputy commissioner office for the upcoming 12th national parliament election as an AL-nominated candidate for Chattogram-7 constituency (Ranguniya-some part of Boalkhali).

Dr Hasan said a festive mood has started prevailing across the country centering the polls and different political parties have declared names of their candidates. Those candidates are submitting their nomination papers, he said.

He said out of 44 registered political parties, thirty parties are taking part in the upcoming polls while many other unregistered parties are also taking part in the election. The polls will be held in time, he added.

The minister said BNP and Jamaat’s call for boycotting the election becomes fade as a festive and joyous mood is prevailing across the country after the declaration of poll schedule.

Replying to a query over BNP’s announcement of toppling the government, Dr Hasan said BNP leaders made themselves ridiculous by making such funny declarations. The BNP leaders have been giving such threats of toppling the government for long, he said.

He said conspiracies are being hatched at home and abroad when the country is moving ahead. “But our government’s policy is ‘friendship to all and malice to none’. We work with the policy and we have good relations with all. We want to take the country to its dream destination with the cooperation of all development partners.”

AL Chattogram North district unit vice president and Ranguniya upazila chairman Swajan Kumar Talukder, AL Chattogram city leader Iftekhar Saimul Chowdhury, Zila Parishad panel chairman Abul Kashem Chisti, Boalkhali upazila chairman Rezaul Karim Raza, AL Chattogram north district unit leaders Kamrul Islam Chowdhury, Dr Mohammad Selim, Bedarul Alam Chowdhury, Abdul Monaf Sikdar and Amrul Karim Rashed, among others, were present.

-BSS.