People have rejected results: Hasina

By Our Special Correspondent

DHAKA, OCT. 2. Sheikh Hasina, who led Bangladesh's first elected government to complete its full tenure, today told newspersons that ``the people have rejected the result as it was prepared under a conspiratorial blue print.'' Asked whether she accepted the results of the general election, which have given a thumping victory to the Opposition BNP-led alliance, she said, ``the question does not arise because the people have rejected and considered it a very raw kind of manipulation of the popular mandate which is not admissible in a democracy.''

Stating that the caretaker Government of Mr. Justice Latifur Rahman was conspiring against her party ``right from its day one,'' she said the Government had not only staged a ``civilian coup but also finally ended up its task with a media coup in manipulating the poll results.''

Sheikh Hasina did not elaborate on her plans, but said it would be difficult for her to say whether her party's MPs would take the oath and join Parliament. ``They (the Election Commission, the caretaker Government and the Khaleda alliance) have allotted seats for us according to their own suitability, and how could people who believe in democracy accept this naked aggression on democracy?''

The overall polling on Monday was generally peaceful but the Awami League gave specific instances of how its leading candidates were tortured and voters intimidated by police and other security forces in areas earmarked as ``high risk zones.''

The Islamic radicals, most of them having alleged links with the Taliban, seemed the happiest lot as they turned to be the real beneficiaries of the results.

The Awami League chief also alleged ``a very partisan view'' by the Election Commission, saying the BNP men had `controlled' the Election Commission while the results were announced.

``It was a shameless rejection of the people's mandate by a conspiracy, and unfortunately in connivance with a non-party caretaker Government,'' she said.

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Section  : International
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