Prime minister Sheikh Hasina. — Focusbangla file photo
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday hoped the people of Bangladesh will re-elect Awami League in the next general election to maintain the continuity of development.
‘In the next election, I believe the people who are now getting the benefits of development will surely vote for boat and re-elect Awami League to maintain the continuity of development and thus turn Bangladesh into a mid-income country by 2021 and a prosperous one by 2041,’ she said.
The prime minister was speaking as leaders of Awami League and its associate bodies met her at Ganabhaban in the morning and greeted her marking the 9th anniversary of her release from prison.
AL general secretary Obaidul Quader was present.
Sheikh Hasina said, ‘Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is not amongst us now. But, I believe it’s my duty to materialise Bangabandhu’s dreams as his daughter. From that dutifulness, I’ve been working for the country’s development and the welfare of its people.’
Hasina, also the Awami League chief, asked her party leaders and workers to move ahead imbued with the spirit and ideology of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and render services to the country’s people.
‘As we’ve been doing good works for people, and people are now in good condition, my father is watching this from the heaven as at least his country’s people are now getting two square meals every day,’ Hasina said.
On this day in 2008, Hasina was released from the special sub-jail set up on the premises of Jatiya Sangsad Building after remaining captive there for nearly 11 months.
She was arrested at her Sudha Sadan residence at Dhanmondi on July 16, 2007 during the military-backed caretaker government, which assumed power amid the political changeover of 1/11, 2007.
As Sheikh Hasina fell sick during her captivity, demands were raised then from different quarters, including the Awami League and its associate bodies, to send her abroad for better medical treatment on her release from jail.
Conceding to people’s spontaneous and repeated demands and pressure from different quarters, the caretaker government was compelled to release Sheikh Hasina from jail.
Later, in the national election on December 29 in 2008, the Awami League-led grand alliance registered a landslide victory and Hasina was elected prime minister for the second term.
Source: New Age
