Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Saturday, called upon opposition leader and BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, to return to the path of democracy, instead of forging a movement in the streets, for the caretaker government provision. “Come back to the path of democracy, shunning the path of violence, and take part in the next polls. The next general elections will be held the same way as in other democratic countries,” she said. Hasina, also the president of ruling Awami League, said this in her introductory speech, at a view-exchange meeting with grassroots-level leaders from Rangpur district unit of the party, at her official residence, Ganobhaban.
Ruling out the opposition’s demand for a caretaker government to oversee the next general elections, the Prime Minister reiterated that state power would not be handed over to what she said was an unelected persons.
“Is there any guarantee that the next caretaker government will hold an election? And who will give the assurance that the caretaker administration would not put us to jail again, like in the past,” Hasina told Khaleda.
She said that the previous caretaker government had come to power for only three months, but it stayed for two years, and, this time, if there is again such a government, it will try hang on to power till doomsday.
Claiming that the next general elections, due early next year, would be held in a free, fair and credible manner, the Premier said that over 6,500 elections, including by-elections and local government elections, have been held fairly.
“No one can raise any allegation about these polls. Even then, why is the BNP saying that the next polls would not be free and fair, under Awami League. Actually, spreading canards is part of their character,” Hasina said.
The Premier also said that Awami League does not have any history of stealing votes; instead, it is the AL that returned the voting rights to the people, which the BNP had snatched from them.
The Prime Minister expressed hopes that her party will get a chance to form the next government, through the next national polls, and will continue to serve the nation.
Calling upon countrymen to remain alert about the conspiracy of the opposition chief, the Awami League president said that, last time, after returning from Singapore, Khaleda Zia carried out vandalism across the country, using Hefazat-e-Islam and Jamaat-Shibir supporters, to oust an elected government.
Recalling the Hefazat-e-Islam’s May 5 violence, the Prime Minister alleged that the leaders and activists of Jamaat-Shibir had launched destructive activities in the city’s Shapla Chattar area, keeping the gun on the shoulders of Hefazat, while the BNP issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the government.
However, Hasina said the main objective of her government is to ensure peoples’ empowerment and establish their voting rights, as it wants to see democracy continue uninterrupted in the country.
She alleged that after coming to power, BNP-Jamaat government had done nothing for the welfare of the people. “They changed their own fortunes, instead of the people: they only know corruption, looting, cheating and conspiracies,” she added.
At the same time, the Premier accused the former BNP-led government of introducing politics of vengeance, and doing nothing to develop the country.
Based out of Hawa Bhaban, Khaleda Zia’s two sons amassed huge wealth through unbridled corruption and money laundering. Their corruption has also been proved in the US and Singapore courts, Hasina said.
Referring to the ‘dark chapter’ of terrorism, militancy and corruption of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, from 2001 to 2006, the Prime Minister said thousands of leaders and workers of Awami League were killed and tortured, after the 2001 general elections. She also alleged that thousands of women were violated, during the tenure of BNP-Jamaat.
Hasina also illustrated her government’s successes in the fields of agriculture, education, economy, health, information technology, food security, women empowerment.
“When Awami League comes to power, the country is rewarded, and peace and satisfaction return, but when the BNP goes to power, the country is rebuked,” she said.
She also highlighted various programmes that were implemented in the last four years of the present government. “We have upgraded Rangpur district to a division, pourasabha to a city corporation, and set up a university,” she said.
She said the government has eliminated ‘monga’ (seasonal famine), forever from the region, by ensuring food security and generating employment for a large number of people.
The Prime Minister asked the leaders and workers to strengthen the party at the grassroots level, and project the government’s impressive successes in different fields, to the people.
AL presidium members Kazi Jafarullah and Satish Chandra Roy, organising secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, treasurer HN Ashiqur Rahman, information and research secretary advocate Afzal Hossain, central leaders Abul Hasnat Abdullah and Enamul Haque Shameem, were present on the occasion, among others.
AL deputy office secretary, Mrinal Kanti Das, conducted the view-exchange meeting, which was convened as part of a series of view exchange meetings with the grassroots-level leaders and workers, initiated by the ruling Awami League, at the end of the year 2011.
-With The Independent input
