Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday branded BNP-Jamaat as the symbol of destruction, terrorism and killing and said the unholy alliance always tried heart and soul to destroy the country whenever it moved forward under the leadership of Awami League.
“Politics of killing would not continue in Bangladesh. Those persons, who have set fire on buses and trucks, killed people trying to destroy the country, would have no pardon. Their trial must be held in Bangladesh,” she said while addressing a huge public meeting organized by the district unit of Awami League at Nawabganj Government College ground in Chapainawabganj in the afternoon on the day.
Sheikh Hasina said, “BNP and Jammat are not your friends. They are the enemies of the people and humanity as well.” Calling upon the people to compare the rule of Awami League and that of BNP-Jamaat, she made an appeal to them to strengthen Awami League for the country’s progress.
Chaired by Alhaj Moinuddin Mandal, president of Awami League Chapainawaganj district unit, the meeting was addressed, among others, by former mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation AHM Khairuzzman Liton, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, State Minister for Water Resources Lt Col (Retd) Nazrul Islam, State Minister for Youth and Sports Biren Shikder, State Minister for ICT Division Junaid Ahmed Palak, AL Organising Secretary Abu Sayeed Mahmud Al Swapan, MP, Alhaj Omar Faruk Chowdhury, MP, Abdul Wadud Biswas, MP, Md Ayenuddin, MP, Golam Mostafa, MP and Abdul Malek, MP.
Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Awami League, said, “Awami League wants to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Independence not as a poverty-ridden country, but as a developed and prosperous one”.
“I want your support and cooperation in this regard,” she said, adding “please reject those who pursue politics of destruction. Tell them ‘no’ and please come under the flag of Awami League and merge with the politics of development.”
The prime minister said people of the country must think that Awami League in power means the development and progress of the country. Awami League in power means at least two meals every day for every people, employment for youths, free textbooks for kids, free medicines, healthcare services, employment opportunities abroad and development of technology and digitization of everyday life.
Sheikh Hasina said Awami League has brought the Independence. We want to make the Independence meaningful and reach the fruits of the independence to every house. Every people of Bangladesh would get a prosperous life, every people would have their food, housing, healthcare and education before celebration of the Golden Jubilee, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said, “Losing everybody except my sister, I’m doing politics with only one goal– that is giving you a prosperous life, for which my father devoted his whole life. My father had loved you; I also have got the touch of love from you. My goal is your welfare and development,” she said.
The PM reiterated her commitment to bring all culprits of recent vandalism to book saying “I’m committed to take action against any damage to you. Hand over them to police who would pursue politics of destruction. Let them be punished so that they can never commit such crimes.”
Sheikh Hasina held out the assurance that the char areas of the districts would be lighted up with solar power. Upazila complex would be constructed and steps would be taken for setting up of fire service stations in every upazila, new school buildings in every school and introduction of bus services from Sonamasjid, Maldah and Murshidabad.
Earlier from the meeting venue, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the newly-constructed Youth Training Centre at Shibtala in Chapainawabganj town, newly-constructed academic building of Birshreshtha Shaheed Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir College at Swarupnagar, Chapainawabganj Eye Hospital, sub-station of Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) in Chapainawabganj town and Gomostapur Upazila Fire Station.
She also laid the foundation stone of a new building of Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital for upgrading it from a 100-bed to 250-bed hospital, the development work of Kansat-Rahanpur-Bholahat Road, a project for protecting Alatuli area of the district from the erosion of the Padma River and the Chapainawabganj 100-megawatt power plant project.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government after taking office in 2009 had undertaken many projects for development of the district particularly resolving the acute power crisis for which many people laid down their lives during the BNP-Jamaat regime.
Construction of a 50-MW power station at Kansat, reorganization of the rail services, and building of a stadium were among the programmes undertaken by Awami League after assuming power in 2009, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said BNP-Jamaat gutted the sub-station along with burning alive its engineer in 2013 in the name of movement. BNP shot dead 18 people but could not give people power during their regime, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said with the inauguration of the much-awaited second bridge on the Mohananda river at Saheber Ghat on the day, the long-cherished dream of the people of the neglected vast char land has been materialized.
She announced that apart from modernization of the district hospital, steps would be taken for development of Kansat-Bholarhat road communication, protecting the district from erosion of the Padma and construction of a university.
Pointing out the emergence of kingpins of militancy and terrorism in the area during BNP-Jamaat last regime, the Prime Minister said the bigots even didn’t spare a female UP member, Nurjahan. People of Bangladesh never witnessed such brutality that they carried out in 2013 and afterwards, and while in power.
Sheikh Hasina said “monga” was a regular phenomenon in the northern parts of the country when BNP-Jamaat was in power. But Awami League eradicated the seasonal joblessness by making the country self-sufficient in food production and distributing the food among monga-hit people.
The Prime Minister said her government has taken measures to give “khas” land to the landless people and home to the homeless. She said about five crore people could come out of abject poverty over the last six years, and poverty rate would be slashed further by 10 percent in next three years.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has established mango research centre in Chapainawabganj as the district is one of the highest mango yielding areas of the country. She said people of the area can also exploit the opportunity of bank loan at only 4 percent interest rate for producing spices.
The Prime Minister said, “BNP is pursuing the politics of hitting the common people on their livelihood. The BNP chairperson enforced hartal and siege program for 92 days. But it caused no harm to Khaleda but immense loss to the commoners.”
“So you have to take oath that you would not give vote to any party responsible for killing people and destroying their lives and livelihoods,” she said.
Mentioning the passage of the Land Boundary Agreement with India, she said BNP, whenever in power, flattered India and could not resolve any outstanding issues with the neighboring countries.
CHT Peace Agreement, Ganges Water Sharing Treaty and demarcation of the maritime boundaries are the manifestation of the successful political and diplomatic endeavour of Awami League, she said.
Pointing out the recent election of her niece at the British House of Commons, the Prime Minister said, “We are also demonstrating our success outside the country. But, look at BNP leader who could give the nation nothing except killing and destruction, she said, adding that her son is now living in hiding abroad. –Our Monitor (Photo: PID)