Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday alleged that foreign and local quarters conspired to topple an elected government on May 5. “But they did not succeed eventually as people of the country are with the Awami League. I firmly believe that no conspiracy will work as long as the public support remains with us,” Sheikh Hasina, also the AL president, said. The Prime Minister was speaking at the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) meeting at her Ganabhaban residence.
Calling upon her party leaders and workers to remain alert, Hasina said, the evil forces are still giving her threats. They have been trying to destroy Awami League after the country’s Liberation War. The threat of BNP chief Khaleda Zia on May 4 was also part of that plot, she added.
The premier alleged that the opposition leader had hatched a conspiracy to create disturbance in the country instigating the Hefazat-e-Islam and minor madrasa students on May 5 and 6 to unseat the government.
However, the premier again urged the party leaders to work with devotion and utmost sincerity and
strengthen Awami League at all level saying Awami League is the only party that can fulfil the aspiration of the people of the country.
She further alleged that previous governments repeatedly tried to kill her aiming to destroy her political career, but they failed as I fully enjoyed the support of the people of the country and party leaders and workers.
Hasina said, installing the country on the path of spirit of the liberation war and bringing the killers of Bangabandhu and war criminals to justice and taking the country to economic prosperity were big challenges for her party.
“I returned home in 1981, when the country was reeling under military coups. As many as 18 coups were held during the period from August 15, 1975 to 1981. Side by side the rulers were out to eliminate Awami League,” she said.
“At that time, I first called for stopping such bloodshed in the army and in the society,” she said.
The prime minister also said, “After long struggle over the 34 years, we are marching forward for economic emancipation and we could achieve food autarky. We could hand down justice to the killers of Bangabandhu and we could bring the war criminals to the court of law. It’s our success over the 34 years,” she said.
“To achieve those we had to fight every day and every moment,” she said adding we have given a vision to the nation to build a happy and prosperous nation by 2021. “A nation without vision cannot prosper,” she said. Hasina said, she along with younger sister Sheikh Rehana left Bangladesh only 15 days ahead of the brutal killing of Bangabandhu. “I was reluctant to go abroad at that time, but fate had taken me abroad,” she said.
The Prime Minister said, she would never forget the affection and love showed by the people of Bangladesh and Awami League leaders and workers when she was made the president of the party in her absence and in her long struggle for the cause of the nation.
“After assuming the chair of the party I tried to build a Bangladesh and earn economic emancipation of the country as Father of the Nation aspired after country’s liberation,” she said.
Ahead of the ALCWC meeting, central leaders of the party greeted the Prime Minister as the meeting day coincided with Sheikh Hasina’s return to Bangladesh 34 years ago ending her exile life.
Awami League leaders and central leaders of the associate bodies of Awami League greeted Sheikh Hasina with bouquets of flowers.
They also wished her success, long and healthy life so that she can serve the nation for a long period. Awami League presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and General Secretary of Syed Ashraful Islam spoke, among others, on the occasion.
-With The Independent input
