Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the ruling Awami League had given people back their power after days of autocracy following the killing of the Father of the Nation.
“Without uninterrupted democracy in a country, no progress can be made. Democracy in Bangladesh has been disrupted on many occasions,” she said at a programme in the capital Dhaka.
She inaugurated the two-day international LGRD conference.
The US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena in his speech praised Bangladesh for empowering the masses.
He quoted former US President Abraham Lincoln’s well-known definition of democracy, “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” and said Lincoln would have been overwhelmed if he had witnessed the progress Bangladesh made in empowering the people.
Referring to Mozena’s statement, Hasina said in post-1975 Bangladesh, the government was “of the army, by the army and for the General”.
“Then came the dictators,” she said referring to the military strongmen BNP-founder Ziaur Rahman and Jatiya Party founder HM Ershad.
Hasina said an army-backed caretaker government took charge in 2007.
“We did not enjoy democracy for long. Even the concept that the people’s representatives are meant to serve them was absent,” she said.
The Awami League chief said previous elections under other governments were not free and fair.
Claiming that elections in the past meant nothing but violence, Hasina asserted that all elections under the present government were free and fair, and peaceful.
“People’s representatives will be elected through peaceful elections. We want to do everything through the local government and want to ensure strong administration at the local level.”
The Prime Minister said the local administration would have to take the responsibility of ensuring people’s development. She claimed the people were getting services properly.
Hasina said Bangladesh had been known as a ‘star performer’ in the world for alleviating poverty, and added the government wanted to create a strong base for the rural economy.
On women’s empowerment, the Prime Minister said health services for mothers and children had been evolved. “Literacy rate has gone up and poverty is being alleviated gradually.”
The Prime Minister also thanked the development partners of Bangladesh for their support.
Source:Bd news24
Dear Prime Minister: Please do not utter garbage all the time. Democracy does not mean only winning an election to rule for 5 years as in the case of Bangladesh. Democracy does not mean building one party criteria like the one AL made in 1975 (BKSAL). Just google search (from digital Bangladesh computer) and you will be amazed what “Democracy” means.
People except blind supporters of AL know what democracy means to AL. Since liberation people have to some extent been in a trance what caused Bangabandhu to accept and encouraged the slogan ‘one leaders one country, Bangabandhu’s Bangladesh’ (ek neta ek desh. Bangabandhur Bangladesh). Was it a democratic attitude? If it was, there is no question what the PM meaned by ‘democracy’. She makes people believe that democracy can exist in Bangladesh if only AL is in power. How can she say that“Without uninterrupted democracy in a country, no progress can be made. Democracy in Bangladesh has been disrupted on many occasions.” Was introduction of BAKSAL democracy? If it were there’s no question; but if that was not what explanation does the PM give for the 4th amedment? Does she think people of this country are stupids and still live as they used to 40 years ago? If she is so ardent in fostering democracy and want to see strong local govts, why has she kept the elected UZ and UP Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen castrated, giving all power to the MPs who are not at all supposed to meddle in the affairs of the local govt bodies? Pretension should have a limit.