“If the caretaker government comes again, she (Khaleda Zia) will land in jail. There is no confusion about it. No one will spare her and she must keep this in mind,” Hasina said in her introductory remarks at a views-exchange meeting with the grassroots leaders of Awami League from Naogaon district at her official residence Ganobhaban.
Alleging that the opposition leader lost her mental equilibrium and does not know what to do, she said: “When the people of the country are living in peace, there is no peace in her (Khaleda’s) mind.”
Hasina, also the Awami League President, mentioned that there had been so many “games and experiments” in the country with the elections.
She said: “The next election will be held as per the constitution to ensure uninterrupted democratic march in the country so that no one could grab the state power illegally.”
She added: “That’s why I want to tell the opposition leader please walk on the path of democracy. It will bring good to you. There will be proper democracy in the country.”
Recalling the much talked ‘minus two’ formula during the last army-backed caretaker government, the Prime Minister said those people are still alive. “Often they are raising their voice; if they get something they start to speak out loudly.”
Terming these people like the turtles, she said when they see the condition is in their favor they raise their head; otherwise, they keep their head inside the shell.
Hasina said the cases now running against the opposition leader were filed during the last army-backed caretaker government. “Who gave her the guarantee that no further cases will be filed against her? They (caretaker government) will come with more strength, she has to understand this.”
She said the Awami League will ensure free and neutral election because it believed in the empowerment of the people. “All our agitations and movements were for ensuring the voting rights of the people.”
The Prime Minister thanked the opposition party for coming back to Parliament and still staying there. “Although they came to retain their membership, I still thank them as they remain in Parliament,” she said.
Also thanking the opposition leader for their wise decision to take part in the four city corporation elections, she said: “Their participation proves that the elections under the present government will be free and neutral.”
Regarding the withdrawal of the adjournment motion in the Parliament by the opposition leader, Hasina said it seemed they (BNP) wanted to create anarchy outside Parliament.
Referring to the massive spread of militancy including the emergence of Siddiqur Rahman `Bangla Bhai’ in the Rajshahi division during the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, she said the present government contained such militancy with iron hand.
The Prime Minister said that as part of the election pledges, her government has created massive employment opportunities for the youths, imparting them training in various trade and providing collateral free loans from the Employment Bank.
Elaborating various steps of her government for the spread of education, she said free textbooks are being given up to secondary level and stipends being provided to the students up to degree level while over 26,200 non-government primary schools were nationalized.
Besides, she mentioned the successes of her government in facing the acute power shortage and reducing poverty through expanding social safety network program.
Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Alauddin Ahmed and Awami League leaders Kazi Jafarullah, Satish Chandra Roy, Mahbubul Alam Hanif and Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan, and the party leaders from Naogaon district were present.
Source: UNB Connect