Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee . Dinajpur
The Awami League president, Sheikh Hasina, on Wednesday termed her political arch-rival Khaleda Zia’s claim of an attempt on her life a ploy in the guise of a drama to keep off the December 29 polls.
‘It is not clear why she suddenly staged such a drama claiming grenades were meant for her. What does her claim mean? It should be looked into whether she wants to foil or keep off the elections,’ Hasina said as she addressed an election rally in Gor-e-Shaheed Maidan in Dinajpur.
She said the grenades were seized five miles off the venue of Khaleda’s rally, but all on a sudden she claimed she was targeted by militants.
Khaleda, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Tuesday night alleged militants had targeted to kill her while she was addressing an election rally in Comilla.
Khaleda, also a former prime minister, made the claim a few hours after the Rapid Action Battalion personnel had captured two militants in possession of grenades at Debidwar, 63km off Dhaka.
Hasina, also a former prime minister, addressed tens of thousands of people in Bogra, Gaibandha, Rangpur and Dinjapur.
Hasina blamed Khaleda for breeding, nursing and harbouring extremists and killers saying why the militants should attempt her life as she had a good understanding with them.
‘My question is whether the patron of extremists was looking for ways to keep off the electoral race in view of strong support for the Awami League,’ Hasina said urging her rival to shun the path of conspiracy.
Referring to the nomination of a number of people suspected of being involved in killing in the December 29 polls fiel
ded by the BNP, Hasina said the BNP’s nature is to patronise, rehabilitate and reward killers and conspirators.
She called on the people to reject the BNP-Jamaat alliance and vote for the Awami League-led alliance for the betterment of the country.
Hasina alleged her life was threatened time and again and said she had never bowed down to any threats. ‘I will continue with my efforts to establish people’s right till my death.’
At a rally in the Rangpur 6 constituency, the parental home of Hasina’s husband Wajed Mia, for which she is running
for the elections, Hasina called on the Rangpur people to elect her, their daughter-in-law, to the parliament.
‘I leave the responsibility of electing me to parliament with you,’ she told a rally in the Pirganj High School ground. ‘My husband is ill. My children are staying abroad and I hope you will save my face.’
She promised them development of a coal mine in Pirganj and extraction of minerals to be used for the welfare of the local people. Hasina also vowed to bring the constituency under the coverage of gas supply and to set up agro-based industries.
In Dinajpur, she said her party, if voted to power, would construct the Kanchdaha bridge and upgrade the Wheat Research Centre and Dinajpur General Hospital. She also promised construction of a modern stadium.
Hasina introduced Awami League-led alliance candidates Manoranjan Shil Gopal for Dinajpur 1, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury for Dianjpur 2, Iqbalur Rahim for Dinajpur 3, Mahmud Ali for Dinajpur for 4, Mostafizur Rahman Fiza for Dinajpur 5, Habibur Rahman for Bogra 6, and Mamtaz Uddin for Bogra 6, for which Khaleda is also contesting the polls.
Hasina, who began electioneering on December 13, left her house, Sudha Sadan, in the morning and addressed a number of roadside rallies seeking vote for the symbol of boat. She was scheduled to get back to Dhaka Wednesday midnight.
Courtesy: newagebd.com
