PM says as she launches polls campaign
Accusing the opposition leader of unleashing terrorism and militancy and killing people in the name of a movement, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the trial of Khaleda Zia would be held one day on Bangladesh soil for the offences, reports UNB.
“We believe in justice. The opposition leader would be charged with giving orders for killing and burning people to death in the name of a movement. Inshallah, her trial would be held on Bangladesh soil to this end, and we’ll hold this trial,” she said.
Hasina, also President of the ruling Awami League, was addressing a mammoth public rally at Balur Math, Bhanga here as she started her election campaign. The national election is due for January 5, which BNP is boycotting. She sought vote in favour of the party candidate Kazi Zafarullah.
Urging the opposition leader not to play with the fate of the country’s people, the AL chief said her arch rival would have to shoulder the responsibility for the deaths of so many people across the country.
Since her government believes in justice, the AL chief said, the verdict in one war crimes case has been executed apart from the judgment in the Bangabandhu murder case, while the trial of the BDR carnage and mutiny cases have been completed.
Mentioning that the Dhaka city dwellers did not pay heed to the opposition leader’s call on May 4 this year to
assist the Hefajat-e-Islam, Hasina said that Khaleda Zia has now called the countrymen to join the March for Democracy on December 29.
“December is our month of victory, so she (Khaleda) doesn’t like this month as she has teamed up with the Jamaat-Shibir-Razakars who were the cohorts of the Pakistani occupation forces during the War of Liberation. December 29 is the day for her defeat as on this day back in 2008’ the people of the country voted us and we’ve formed the government. So, she would wage a movement on this day and kill people as nowadays trees, cattle and people are not spared from her destructive politics,” Hasina told the rally.
Reiterating her government’s stance to build the Padma Bridge on its own fund, the premier said, “Inshallah, we’ll be able to do that if AL remains in power. We’ve started the works for approach road and already have spent TK 1,500 crore on rehabilitation in land acquisition where there was no allegation of corruption. The tender for the main bridge construction has been floated, and if you (people) voted us to power, we’ll able to start the construction of the main bridge.”
Without mentioning any name, she also reminded the local people that those for whom the question has been raised over the Padma Bridge project and the image of the country got tainted they have no right to seek votes.
Making it clear who actually constitute her family members, Hasina said apart from herself, her sister, their five children and their son-in-laws and daughter-in-laws and their grandchildren, there are no Bangabandhu family members.
“So, if anyone engages in ill activities using the name of the Bangabandhu family, I’ll not tolerate this. Those for whom the country’s image has got tarnished and the construction work on Padma
Bridge deferred can never be our relatives. And my question is how could they amass such wealth?” she asked.
Observing that the darkness engulfs the country whenever there is BNP-Jamaat alliance in power, the AL president said the BNP chairperson is not joining the election as she would not be able to untie the war criminals.
“We’ve initiated the trial process. But, she (Khaleda) wants to protect them for which she has chosen the path of terrorism ignoring the path of election. She is now killing people, cutting trees and destroying the environment. Her activities indicate she does not want Bangladesh to exist as an independence and sovereignty country.”
Continuing her scathing attack on the opposition leader, Hasina said Khaleda Zia can never see the welfare of people as she herself had plundered public money and whitened black money. And her two sons were also engaged in plundering money, she added.
“But, we’ve run the country with efficiency and our peacekeeping missions comprising members of the army, navy, police are playing a strong role in global arena. “Just half an hour after the opposition leader in her address to the nation had said Bangladesh got detached from global arena, UN Secretary General Ban ki Moon phoned me to send one more battalion of troops to UN missions.”
Alleging that the BNP chairperson knows nothing except telling lies which is her nature, the Prime Minister said that the opposition leader always does exactly the opposite to what she says.
“The day she (Khaleda) claimed that BNP doesn’t engage in terrorism, they (opposition men) burned a policemen to death hurling a petrol bomb at a police vehicle. What was the fault of that innocent policeman?” Hasina questioned.
Highlighting various development activities of the present governmentin various fields during the last five years, Hasina sought votes for ‘Boat’, the election symbol of Awami League in the next national election billed for January 5 to keep up the pace of development and complete its unfinished tasks.
“Boat is the carrier of prophet Nuh (PBUH), it provides services in dire situations… you’ve got independence through casting votes for Boat, boat can give peace, development, employment, food and healthcare…so reelect AL through casting your votes for boat .to complete the unfinished works of Bangabandhu, change the fate of the country’s people and thus build ‘Sonar Bangla’.”
The Prime Minister also sought support and good wishes from people to build a hunger- and poverty-free prosperous Bangladesh by 2021 when the country would be observing its golden jubilee of independence.
Ruling party candidate Kazi Jafarullah, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan and Minister Engineer Khandker Musharraf Hossain, among others, spoke at the rally.
It is mentionable that Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury (Nixon), brother of Nur-e-Alam Chowdhury Liton, also a relative of the Bangabandhu family, is contesting the election against Kazi Jafarullah from Faridpur-4 constituency.
-With UNB/The Independent input
