Country will be ruined with BNP in power: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the country would be in a state of ruin if any evil force like BNP and Jamaat gets the opportunity to grab power again like 2001 and urged the countrymen to remain careful about the threat.

She sought support and blessing of the countrymen to materialize the dream of Bangabandhu and make Bangladesh a middle income country by 2021 and a developed and peaceful nation in South Asia by 2041.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing a big public meeting at Freedom Fighter Asaduzzaman Stadium here yesterday afternoon.

Urging people to cast their votes for Awami League in 2019 general election, the Prime Minister said Awami League had originated from the common people and it worked for the development of the country.

Sheikh Hasina said she is not afraid of any threat despite repeated attempts on her life as she nourishes the ideology of Bangabandhu and dedicated her life for the cause of the people, bringing smile on their faces through their socioeconomic uplift.

Pointing out the looming threat of militancy, the Prime Minister reiterated her call to give attention to their children so that they don't become bent to militancy,terrorism or drug. She particularly urged the guardians for always keeping in touch with their children and to know about their desire and wishes.

Sheikh Hasina also announced her government's clemency for those youths who would voluntarily abjure radical life and intend to come back to normal life saying the government would provide all necessary help for their rehabilitation.

Awami League advisory council member Amir Hossain Amu, presidium member Pijush Kanti Banerjee, joint secretaries Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif and Abdur Rahman, State Minister for Youth and Sports Dr Biren Shikdar and organizing secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan also spoke on the occasion while Alhaz Tanjel Hossain Khan, district AL president, was in the chair.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu has sacrificed his life for the people of Bangladesh. She said she is also ready to make any sacrifice for the nation like Bangabandhu.

Bangabandhu has given you the independence and he loved the people of Bangladesh very much, she said adding that bearing the pain of losing her parents she has taken father's unfinished tasks as a responsibility.

Sheikh Hasina said there is a class in the country which always creates obstacles when her government takes up any development work. People of Magura had to face many difficulties when BNP came to power in 2001, she said.

The Prime Minister pointed out the massive vote manipulation in a Magura constituency in March, 1994 during a by-election saying the vote rigging of BNP is now a stigma in the election history of Bangladesh. The public wrath against the rigging finally turned into a movement that ousted BNP from power, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government for the first time in the country allocated collateral free credit to the share croppers and took steps to reach fertilizer and seeds directly to farmers' door. BNP killed many farmers as they demanded fertilizer from the government, she recalled.

The Prime Minister said BNP-Jamaat came to power in 2001 entering into a bond with India and USA for selling gas. But during their regime, they made the country a haven of militancy, terrorism and money laundering. They also stopped all development programmes initiated by Awami League for the welfare of the nation, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said BNP-Jamaat is also destructive while in the opposition. In 2013, they burnt people alive to thwart trial of the war criminals and in 2014, they carried out torture, killing and fire incidents indiscriminately all over the country in the name of boycotting election.

BNP-Jamaat burnt alive 131 innocent people, gutted 582 schools, burnt power stations, government offices, killed presiding officers and 24 members of the law enforcement agencies and destroyed more than 2000 public transports, launch, rail bogies and wagons.

"Even, being Muslims, they set fire inside the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque and burnt hundreds of copies of the holy Quran," the Prime Minister said adding that it's their nature to intimidate people when they get a chance.

On the other hand, the Awamil League tries to give the people relief from woes, suffering and economic hardship. Our only ideology is to bring smile to the face of the people, she said.

At the outset of her speech, the Prime Minister extended her heartiest congratulations to the people of Magura as national cricket player Sakibul Hasan, who hails from there, led Bangladesh team to win the 100th text cricket match against Sri Lanka.

Source: BSS