Lashing out at the opposition leader again for her disparaging remarks against Gopalganj, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Thursday asked Khaleda Zia not to cause further suffering to the country’s people as they want to get rid of it.
“I want to say only this…if she (Khaleda) doesn’t feel good on this soil and prefers going to her Pyare (beloved) Pakistan, then she could go. Don’t cause further suffering to the people of this country as they want to come out of it,” she said.
The Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing a function of Gopalganj Zila Samity at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre here in the afternoon. The Gopalganj Zila Samity accorded reception to Hasina for steering the country’s advancement in the last five years (2009-2013).
Presided over by Gopalganj Zila Samity President Sheikh Kabir Hossain, the function was addressed, among others, by FBCCI president Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed and eminent economist Abul Barkat. Adv Molla Md Abu Kawser delivered the address of welcome.
Earlier on December 31 at Pirganj in Rangpur, Sheikh Hasina hit back at opposition leader Khaleda Zia for her indiscreet remarks against Gopalganj, the home district of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“Nobody can erase the name of Gopalganj from the world. Instead, those who will try to do that will vanish; this is the reality,” she said, addressing a workers’ conference on the premises of her in-laws’ house, ‘Joy Sadan’, at Fatehpur in Pirganj.
On December 29, opposition leader Khaleda Zia in a sudden outburst towards some police personnel who were on special security duty outside her Gulshan residence, saying “where are you from, Gopali? Gopalganj? The name Gopalganj will be changed… Gopalganj won’t exist”.
Addressing the day’s function, Hasina said Gopalganj is the birthplace of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman under whom the country achieved its independence.
But, the opposition leader has made derogatory remarks against Gopalganj although it was Bangabandhu who made her husband Ziaur Rahman as Major General from Major, Hasina added.
“Ziaur Rahman had grabbed power illegally and unconstitutionally as well as rehabilitated war criminals. So it’s natural for her wife to pass such remarks against Gopalganj…she suffers from heartburns when she hears the name of Gopalganj…… I want to ask her why she vents such anger against the people of a particular region.”
As Prime Minister, Hasina said, she has to look after all districts and areas with equal treatment, and she treats Bangladesh as a whole. “But, she (Khaleda) might think otherwise as her birthplace is not Bangladesh, it’s Shiliguri, India.”
The AL chief went on saying, “So, who was not born in Bangladesh, would not have such affection and dutifulness towards the country’s people as she (Khaleda) was born in India, but her soul is in Pakistan ….her ‘Pyare Pakistan. I think she often whispers in her mind…’Aye Meri Jaan Pyare Pakistan’.
Noting that she was very proud of having born at Tungipara, Gopalganj, the Premier said, “No matter how she (Khaleda) terms others as Gopali (Gopalganj residents), but the Gopalis are also become Kopali (lucky).”
The AL president said that not only in Gopalganj, her government in its tenure has carried out equal development works in each and every area from Teknaf to Tetulia as it believes in balanced development. “Now, our goal is to ensure economic emancipation and to further alleviate poverty,” she added.
Putting utmost importance on the continuation of the democratic process, Hasina said if there is the continuation of the development pace and the unfinished tasks are completed, then the country would never have to look behind.
“But, for this, there’s a need for the continuation of the democratic process as no other nation and country in the world could prosper without continuation of democracy,” she added.
The premier also added, “Only a continued democratic system can lead a country towards prosperity and development …and we want to ensure further development and bring prosperity to Bangladesh maintaining the democratic system.”
Slamming the misrule of the previous BNP-Jamaat alliance government, Hasina alleged that the opposition leader had pushed the country backwards in all fields as Khaleda Zia does not want Bangladesh to prosper and the country’s people to live in peace.
“Because, those who were the cohorts of the defeated forces could never like Bangladesh to move ahead as an independent nation and make its place as a dignified nation at the global stage,” she said.
Hasina also sought votes for ‘Boat’, the election symbol of Awami League, to re-elect her party in the January 5 national election.
Source: UNB Connect
