Dhaka: Awami League Presidium member and former home minister Mohammad Nasim on Saturday said the next national election would be held under the framework of the constitution.

"Law is equal for everyone. The constitution is sacred. Our constitution enshrines that the election will be held in our country in accordance with the elections held in other democratic countries in the world under the party in power," he said while speaking as the chief guest at a meeting in the city.

Dhaka City unit of the Awami League-led 14-party alliance organised the meeting at Pallabi Community Centre in the capital in pursuance of its plea for expediting the war crimes trial and execution of the verdict as well as protesting the evil politics of BNP-Jamaat combine.

Local lawmaker Ilyas Uddin Mollah presided over the meeting, also addressed, among others, by Dhaka City Awami League general secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya (Bir Bikram), organising secretary Shahe Alam Murad, publicity secretary Abdul Huq Sabuj and the 14-party central leader Quamrul Ahsan Khan.

Nasim said the next election would be conducted under the government to be constituted with the elected representatives in accordance with the constitution.

He said, "We have been saying time and again that Awami League will never accept any government comprised of non- political and non-elected persons. The caretaker government is weak. This sort of government will never come into being in Bangladesh."

The senior Awami League leader said, "The next election will be held in accordance with the constitutional framework. We shall take part in the election. No power on earth can jeopardize the poll and it will be held in time."

Calling upon all to take preparation for the next election, Nasim, also the spokesman of the 14-party alliance, said, "The election will be held after five months. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will head the interim government during the election and the Election Commission will conduct the polls."

About war crimes trial, Nasim said, Begum Khaleda Zia would not succeed in her bid to thwart the ongoing trial of the war criminals.

"With the blessings of the Almighty Allah, the trial of the war criminals will not only be completed but some verdicts will also be executed," the former Home Minister added.

Ends/AMA/09/06/13