Criticising the opposition leader for her attempt to play game over the next general election, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday warned that Khaleda Zia would not be allowed to do that anymore.
“The Election Commission is working independently and the next general elections will be held in a free, fair and neutral manner. But, the opposition leader wants to play game with that election …she won’t be allowed to play that game. No one will be allowed to play ducks and drakes with the fate of the country’s people,” she said.
The Prime Minister was addressing a mammoth pubic rally at Taltoli High School Ground in the afternoon, organised by local Awami League.
Shipping Minister M Shahjahan Khan, AL joint general secretary Mahbub ul Alam Hanif, AL leader Abul Hasnat Abdullah local MP Dhirendu Debnath Shombhu, among others, addressed the rally held with upazila Awami League president Fozlul Haque Jamadar.
Continuing her scathing attack on the opposition leader, Hasina said, “There’s no misdeed that she (Khaleda) hasn’t committed? Burning people, vehicles, setting fire to copies of holy Quran and mosques…I’m complaining to almighty Allah for these misdeeds of her.”
Referring to her 37-minute telephone conversation with the opposition leader on October 26, the Awami League chief said her arch rival did not call off the hartal despite her request.
“She (Khaleda) killed 20 people and what were the faults of those people as well as their kith and kin. The injured people suffering from burn injuries are now passing their days in pain, But the BNP leaders did not go to the hospital to see them,” Hasina said adding that the trial for the killing of these people during the shutdowns would be held in the country one day.
The premier mentioned that her cabinet members went to hospital to enquire about the conditions and necessary arrangements have been made for their treatment. “Will she (Khaleda) keep trying to oust the government through exploding some bombs and burning some people to death?” she questioned.
About the 48-hour ultimatum issued by the opposition leader on May 4 to oust the government which was immediately followed by the Hefajat-e-Islam’s Dhaka siege programme on May 5, she said, “Sheikh Hasina never fled any scene, but faced all kinds of situations.”
Taking a swipe again on the BNP chairperson for her destructive activities, the AL president said her opponent has killed these people during the hartals to just save the war criminals.
Noting the verdict in the Bangabandhu murder case has been executed while that of BDR carnage have been pronounced alongside the ongoing trial of the war criminals, she said, “I’ll tell the opposition leader that the trial of the war criminals would continue, no matter what attempts she made…Bangladesh would be freed from its stigma through holding of this trial.”
Claiming that all the elections at different tiers held under the present government were free, fair and neutral, Hasina said some 64,023 representatives were elected from those polls and no one could raise any allegation against any of these elections.
In this regard, she criticised Khaleda Zia for her allegation of vote rigging in the recent city corporation polls although the BNP-backed candidates had won those polls. “Did the opposition leader make her candidates winners through adopting ‘number 2 formula’ as that’s her character?”
Urging people to strengthen the hands of Awami League to continue the democratic process in the country, the Prime Minister sought votes for ‘Boat’, the election symbol of Awami League, in the next parliament election to continue the development works and complete its unfinished tasks.
Before addressing the rally from Taltoli High School ground, the Prime Minister inaugurated Barguna district server station in the town, three-storey building of SESDP High School in Taltali upazila, and four-storey academic building of Barguna Mohila College and eco-tourism facility enhancement activity at Tangragiri reserved forest.
Hasina also laid the foundation stones of Taltoli upazila complex building, upgrading Barguna Sadar hospital to 250-bed from 50 bed, Barguna technical training centre on Barguna-Taltoli-Sonakata road, Amtoli police station, 66-meter girder bridge on Amtoli-Taltoli-Sonakata road under the protection work in Gelbunia, Dakshin Soudagarpara registered primary school cum-cyclone centre under ECRRP, Amtoli Chourasta box culvert and Locha registered primary school-cum cyclone center under Amtoli upazila.
Source: UNB Connect
