Dhaka, Dec 21 (PTI) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked the officials of her ruling Awami League party to ensure a free, fair and peaceful election next month so that no one "can raise any question about it".

The main opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is boycotting the election after its demand for an interim non-party neutral government to organise the voting was rejected by the Hasina government. The party had boycotted the 2014 election but took part in 2018 polls.

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Virtually addressing election rallies, the 76-year-old prime minister asked her party officials to ensure the participation of the people in the January 7 polls so that they can vote freely for the candidates of their choice, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

"You will work for holding the next general election in a free, fair and peaceful manner so that none can raise any question about the polls," Hasina was quoted as saying by the paper.

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"Participation of the people and the voters in the upcoming election is a must. It matters nothing which party is taking part in the election or not," she said.

Asserting that former premier Khaleda Zia's BNP will not participate in the election as there is no guarantee of rigging votes, the Awami League leader said, "There was no question about the fairness of (the) 2008 election. The BNP-led alliance only got 30 seats in that election. They will not take part in this election as they failed to assume power in 2008."

The prime minister said that the BNP had been dislodged from power twice by the citizens on charges of vote rigging.

"We want the people to cast their vote freely. They will vote for the candidates of their choice, and thus, democracy will be strengthened further," she said.

She also warned her party members against any involvement in violence over the election, according to the report.

"If any violence occurs and involvement of any of my party (workers) is found, they will not be spared. Keep in mind that I will take appropriate measures," she said.

Amidst the political unrest over the January 7 elections, political violence in the country has killed 11 people, with at least four people being killed on Tuesday.

Police arrested thousands of opposition activists and figures, including de-facto BNP leader and party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, over charges of violence.

With the BNP boycotting the election and no other credible opposition party against it, Hasina's Awami League will likely gain the upper hand and likely form the government for the fourth consecutive term.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)