It has been proven that free and fair elections are possible under a partisan government, said the prime minister’s Political Affairs Advisor HT Imam.

“The polls outcome have already started to pour in and facts show that the Awami League-led Grand Alliance under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership will win a landslide victory,” he told the media on Sunday (Dec 30) at the party chief’s Dhanmondi offices.

He said that the Awami League activists have been instructed to hold their positions in their designated polling stations until the whole outcome is announced.

Imam said that party President Sheikh Hasina’s message to AL activists was that “it was not time for victory rallies but to rule the country.”

Saying that the foreign observers have deemed the polls atmosphere as congenial, Imam added, that foreign observers from heavyweight places such as OIC, Commonwealth and India have all lauded today’s elections and thanked the Election Commission for it.

Responding to queries about BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's observation that the elections will leave a damaging impact on the nation, Imam said, “Mirza Fakhrul’s party taking part in the polls was tactical move.”

“Hence there are no BNP posters in Dhaka! It’s surprising that such a heavyweight party as themselves have no campaign posters!”

Imam went on to criticize BNP for “nomination trade,” saying that the party had refrained from giving nominations to leaders such as Inam Ahmed from Sylhet and many others because they were unable to pay large sums of money for their nomination.

In a clear reference to BNP’s acting chief Tarique Rahman, he said that it was fixed from London how much the aspirants would have to pay for nominations and whoever put in the highest bid was given the party ticket.