BSS-21 PM-AL-MEETING-2-DHAKA

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ZCZC

BSS-21

PM-AL-MEETING-2-DHAKA

General Secretary of Awami League and Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Kader gave introductory speech on the occasion.

Sheikh Hasina said people of Bangladesh are getting everything as they gave vote for Awami League. It was possible to achieve the recognition of the country as a developing one due to pragmatic economic plans of the Awami League government, she said.

“Given the country’s overall development, it’s totally absurd to judge that people would not vote for Awami League. If it really happens, the responsibility will go with you because of your failure to reach the people properly,” she said.

“No government except Awami League could take forward the country to an accelerating development path. So, why people would cast vote for another political party responsible for promoting militancy, terrorism, killing, rampage, burning people alive, corruption, plundering orphans’ money and gambling?”

The Prime Minister said that in the coming election, people would spontaneously exercise their franchise. None will be able to win the polls through rigging. She said none will be allowed to play with the voting rights of the people.

Sheikh Hasina said Awami League played the pioneering role in ensuring transparency and accountability in the electoral process. “So we have to remain careful about the fairness of the polls,” she said adding, “We don’t want to take the same blame like BNP in 1996 when they were forced to resign on charge of rigging.”

“We have to come to power with people’s mandate to continue the development works aimed at building a prosperous Bangladesh,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said about 11 lakh Rohingyas have taken shelter in Bangladesh being forced to leave their homeland in Myanmar as it had happened to Bangalees in 1971. Sheikh Rehana has motivated her in giving the Rohingyas shelter though it caused untold suffering to the local people, she said.

The government is working carefully to mitigate the suffering of the local people while giving shelter and support to the Rohingyas, she said.

Congratulating the party leaders and workers on the founding anniversary of the party, the Prime Minister said since its inception the party has been serving the people. Scores of leaders and workers laid their lives for the cause of the people.

Sheikh Hasina said people of Bangladesh are becoming solvent financially due to the steps taken by her government. Their financial condition would be further improved if Awami League remains in power and the pace of development continues, she said.

Not a single people in the country would live without food, shelter, healthcare services and education, she added.

The prime minister said her government has already started preparing a perspective plan for 2021-2041 to chalk out the schemes to make Bangladesh a developed country. But, Bangladesh will be destroyed if BNP and Jamaat come to power. They will destroy all successes of the nation achieved over the last nine years, she said.

BSS/AKH/BR/1732 HRS