Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said her government amended the Constitution of the country in order to restore people’s Constitutional and democratic rights. “Democracy is never established anywhere in the world without the Constitutional process,” she told a discussion meeting held in memory of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in Dhaka. The prime minister, who is also the president of the ruling Awami League (AL), said the goal of her government is to steer the nation in a Constitutional way and prevent any undesirable attempt by any quarter to take over power illegally and harm country’s democracy. She said excepting in 2001an orderly transfer of power never took place in the country in 42 years of its history. “That is precisely the reason we have amended the Constitution,” Sheikh Hasina clarified.
She said her party Awami League took over the responsibility of the country with two-thirds majority following a democratically held election and claimed “peaceful
transfer of power is possible only under the Awami
league-led government.”
The prime minister called upon the members of Bangladesh Chhatra League to concentrate on their study – not just spend their time on organizational matters only – and get ready to take over the future leadership of the country.
“You are already aware of the consequences of the failed leadership. I don’t have to explain that you anew,” Sheikh Hasina told them and added: “But great sacrifices are required for great achievements.”
The prime minister underscored the need for building Bangladesh as “an educated nation” and eradicating hunger and poverty from the country as dreamt by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as well as herself by 2021.
Sheikh Hasina said the nation witnesses a tide of progress when Awami League comes to power. She pointed out that her government succeeded in leading the country on a path of development even though it took over power at a time of global recession.
On the other hand, the prime minister said the people experience a lot of sufferings when opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) forms the government. By promulgating various laws, she said, late president Ziaur Rahman also did a lot of damage to the Constitution of Bangladesh.
Referring to the war crimes trial, Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman started the process immediately after the independence of the country and accused late president Zia and also the founder of opposition BNP of adopting measures to stop that trial.
Recalling the assassination of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other members of her family, Sheikh Hasina said opposition BNP didn’t hesitate to bring the killers of the Father of the Nation even to the nation’s Parliament by rigging vote in their favour.
The prime minister once again accused opposition leader and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia of betraying the nation time and time again. “The opposition leader does not believe in the independence and sovereignty of the country,” she added.
Among others, Agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury, Communication Minister Obaidul Kader, Prime Minister’s Media Advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, and Dhaka University Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique participated in the discussion presided over by BCL president HM Badiuzzaman Sohag.
-With The Independent input
