Prime minister Sheikh Hasina today said the coming council of Awami League would be held with an objective of organizing the party to stay in power aimed at completing the unfinished tasks to build a hunger- and poverty-free country by 2021.
“Bangladesh is progressing fast in every sector and rural people are enjoying the benefit of economic development as Awami League is in power successively. We have to maintain the continuity and the party leaders and workers must remember it,” she said.
The prime minister, also the president of the country’s oldest political party Awami League, was delivering the inaugural speech at the meeting of Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) at her Gonobhaban residence here this evening.
Sheikh Hasina said the council will bring necessary amendments to the party’s declaration and constitution to include special directions and goals to make the country completely poverty- and hunger-free by 2021 and a developed one by 2041.
Sheikh Hasina said the council slated for 22 October and 23 has created an unprecedented enthusiasm among the people as it’s very important in terms of ascertaining the next course of development path of the country towards prosperity.
The people of the country are convinced that only Awami League can give them socioeconomic prosperity and fulfill their expectations. Awami League has contribution to every aspect of socioeconomic development ranging from poverty alleviation to food security, education and health services, she said.
The prime minister said the whole world acclaim Bangladesh’s success in poverty alleviation which was possible due to the pragmatic programmes and policies adopted by Awami League. So it’s the responsibility of Awami League to attain the remaining goals to build Bangladesh as a hunger- and poverty-free nation, she said.
The Awami League president said the leaders and workers of Awami League at all levels should remember that they do politics for the people. So, they have to take oath once again for devoting them to the welfare of the people, she said,
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has gone through a long history of killings, coups and conspiracies. Ducks and drakes were played with the fate of the people. Democratic rights of the people were snatched. The people of the country were exploited while Awami League leaders and workers had to face constant intimidation.
The people of Bangladesh, led by Awami League, became successful in restoring democracy and establishing the rights of the people through immense sacrifice, she said.
The prime minister said her government has implemented most of the electoral pledges it gave people ahead of last general election. So, we have to chalk out the next course of development agenda and ways for making lives of the people more prosperous.
Instead of taking any short course of development programme the government has adopted a policy of five-year development plan along with a long-term perspective plan to maintain consistency in the pace of development work and facilitate implementing big projects within a stipulated time, she said.
The prime minister said BNP was in power for five years from 2001. But they didn’t go for any long-term development plan as their goal was to take many ad hoc basis plans and make money from those projects to make their own fortunes, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the party’s new constitution would have directives about the formation of different committees at the grassroots level. All committees at the grassroots would be based on current demographic size of the areas.
Terming Awami League as a political party having a long history and legacy, the prime minister said the party works for the people while BNP in collusion with Jamaat came to power to disrupt the development, resort to killing, rape and arson and grabbing public property. Keeping this in mind, we have to make our party stronger, she said.
Holding BNP-Jamaat responsible for creating militancy and terrorism in the country, the premier said notorious terrorist “Bangla Bhai” brought out procession under the shelter of police when they were in power from 2001 to 2006. Now they are showing sympathy to the militants who are dying in encounters with law-enforcement agencies.
“Our stand on this issue is very clear. We will never give indulgence to the menaces,” the prime minister said, adding, “Police like the law-enforces of other parts of the world take decision to shoot a terrorist in the interest of saving lives of more people. So, should there be any objection?”
“So it’s no matter what they say. It’s our responsibility to maintain the law and order and protect the lives of the people. So, we will do this at any cost,” she said, adding that the government would take action against them who would give indulgence to the terrorists.
General Secretary of the party Syed Ashraful Islam, advisors, presidium members, secretaries in-charge of different affairs and central committee members attended the meeting.
Source: Prothom Alo
