Anti-liberation forces shouldn’t return to power, she says
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked her party’s grassroots leaders to publicise the atrocities, killings and corruption committed by the BNP-Jamaat alliance during their tenure as the national election approaches fast.
“You’ll (grassroots leaders) have to depict the picture of current development before the voters. You’ll have to highlight the killings, corruption and creating militants like ‘Bangla Bhai’ by the BNP-Jamaat during their rule,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina, also the President of the ruling Awami League, said this in her introductory speech at a views-exchange meeting with grassroots leaders of the party of eight districts at her official residence Ganobhaban in the afternoon.
As part of a series of views-exchange meetings to finalise probable party candidates for the upcoming parliamentary polls, the Awami League chief today exchanged views with presidents and general secretaries of Rajshahi Metropolis, Rajshahi district, Shariutpur, Netrakona, Natore, Narsingdi, Jhenidah and Satkhira, district units of the party and their thana, upazila and grade-I pourasava units.
The Prime Minister alleged that BNP plays ducks and drakes with the fate of the country’s people as it along with its ally Jamaat had turned the country into a den of terrorists through creating militants like ‘Bangla Bhai’ and snatching food from the mouth of people.
“During their (BNP-Jamaat) rule, they had only made their own fortunes. But, we’ve enhanced the dignity of people…whenever AL assumes office, the country gets rewarded, but when there’s BNP in power, the country is castigated,” she observed.
The Prime Minister said her government has established the parliamentary system of democracy in the country through amending the constitution after one year’s of long process. “Our aim is to continue the democratic process in the country because no country could ensure development without democracy.”
Hasina said it has been proved that if the cohorts of the defeated forces remain in power, there could be no development in an independent country. “The country could witness development if those who brought the country’s independence through winning the war after lots of sacrifices remain in power.”
Turning to the ongoing war crimes trial, Hasina said, “The verdicts are coming out. Inshallah, we’ll be able to free the nation from stigma after completing this trial and I’ve this confidence.”
Taking a dig at the opposition leader, the AL chief said Khaleda Zia had embezzled the fund of an orphanage, whitened black money paying fine, her two sons siphoned off money abroad and even FBI men gave their depositions to this end. “By embezzling the fund of orphanage ….What else could they give to the country’s people?”
Hasina also alleged that the opposition leader has not been appearing before the court on various excuses as she was feared of getting convicted by the court for embezzling fund of the orphanage.
The premier said the opposition leader does not want her existence and see her in power either as Khaleda Zia along with her Cabinet members and her son on August 21, 2004 had tried to kill her through lobbing 13 grenades at a public rally in the capital leaving 22 AL leaders and workers killed, including Ivy Rahman.
“She (Khaleda) has proved through her misdeeds that she doesn’t want me,” Hasina said criticizing again her political counterpart for celebrating August 15 as her birthday when the nation mourns the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with a heavy heart.
Accusing the BNP-Jamaat and the opposition leader of spreading false propaganda, especially before the city corporation polls, the Prime Minister said, “How could those who conduct false propaganda and misuse religion believes in their religion?”
Also charging Khaleda Zia with involvement in the BDR mutiny on Feb 25-26 in 2009, the Prime Minister questioned why she had left her cantonment residence on the first day of the BDR mutiny and went underground.
“Why did she go into underground just before one and a half hour before the carnage in a black glass car? The BNP top leader should answer this before the nation what kind of link she had with the mutiny,” Hasina said.
Referring to the 48-hour ultimatum issued by the opposition leader followed by the Dhaka siege programme by Hefajat-e-Islam, the AL president alleged that the BNP-Jamaat Shibir and Hefajat cadres on May 5 burned hundreds of copies of the holy Quran and torched banks, offices and shops and vehicles. “How could they Hefajat Islam by setting fire to the copies of holy Quran and mosque?”
AL presidium member Kazi Jafarullah, Satish Chandra Roy and former chief whip Abul Hasnat Abdullah, were present, at the views-exchange meeting.
Source: UNB Connect
