Dhaka: Expecting that all the future elections will be free and fair, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the ruling Awami League wants people to exercise their franchise.

“We want elections to be free and neutral…we want people to cast their votes, elect the representatives [of their choice],” she said.

The Prime Minister said this in her introductory speech at the joint emergency meeting of Awami League Advisory Council and Central Working Committee at her official residence Ganobhaban.

The meeting was convened to select names as sought by the Search Committee from the political parties that participated in talks with the President for constituting the next Election Commission.

Sheikh Hasina, also the chief of the ruling Awami League, said there is a Constitution in the country and the country will be run as per the charter.

She said it is now the people who will decide whether they want peace or anarchy.

Sheikh Hasina said Awami League always serves people and do politics inheriting the mentality to serve people. “We’re not here to make our own fortunes, we’re here to do good for people…this is our politics as our political philosophy is to do welfare of people.”

About free and credible polls, the Prime Minister said the recent elections to Zila Parishads and Narayanganj City Corporation were the glaring examples of fairness. “These elections were very much fair; people cast their votes and get their desired results. I hope each and every election will be fair in the future,” she said.

The Prime Minister said people will cast their votes as per their wish.

“We believe in democracy, we believe in people’s empowerment and their voting rights,” she said.

She also mentioned that AL does not want to see the dark days that had engulfed the country after the assassination of Bangabandhu.

“Whenever BNP-Jamaat came to power they played with the lives of people.”

The Prime Minister said people will judge whether they were in peace during the BNP-Jamaat regime or the Awami League rule.

“Whenever we came to power people led a good life, the country was acclaimed in the international arena, and whenever the BNP-Jamaat comes to power it means pushing the country towards the path of destruction,” she said.