No reason for concern over national election: Asif Nazrul

Law Adviser Asif Nazrul today said the government is determined to hold the national election in the first half of February and sees "no reason for concern" regarding the upcoming polls.

Speaking to journalists this morning while visiting the Legal Aid Office at the Rajshahi court premises, he said, "Political parties often make statements either to put pressure on one another or on us. Some of their concerns are genuine too."

Asif Nazrul said there was no possibility of delay or disruption to the electoral process. "There is no second thought or 'what if not' in our minds," he said.

The law adviser further said, "Whatever the political parties say, overall they believe in the electoral system. From the government's side, we will do everything necessary to build confidence and create a festive environment for the polls."

He added that the upcoming election carries particular significance as the country has not seen a proper national vote in over a decade.

" So perhaps people have lost the habit of voting. Many citizens -- aged 32, 33, 34 -- never had the chance to cast a vote. Possibly around five crore people couldn't vote. That shows how important this election is," he said.

"Although it's still some time away, I can already see posters and banners everywhere I go. This enthusiasm proves how eager people are. So, I see no reason to be worried about the election."

Earlier, Asif Nazrul visited the Legal Aid Office as part of his inspection tour.

"Yesterday I visited the Technical Training Centre (TTC). Today, I came here to inspect the Legal Aid Office. We have brought significant changes in providing legal aid. Legal assistance has been made mandatory. We are assigning three judges instead of one to reduce the case backlog," he said.