ZCZC
BSS-12
PM-AL-EXTENDED MEETING-TWO-LAST-Dhaka
Sheikh Hasina said the people of Bangladesh had been deprived of development since 1975 as the anti-liberation force usurped power after Bangabandhu’s killing. Ziaur Rahman had grabbed the state power illegally as a military dictator and formed BNP, she added.
“A political party formed by an illegal military dictator is also illegal,” she said, adding that after Zia another military dictator captured power, following his footprint and played the same game of Ziaur Rahman.
The prime minister said the people of Bangladesh could realize the necessity of a government only after Awami League came to power in 1996. They found the government to serve them and bring welfare for them.
She urged the party leaders and workers to extend their support to the government in the drive against drugs.
She thanked the leaders for their role in mobilizing public support against militancy and terrorism and hoped that they would also come up with similar supports to curb the menace of drug in society.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has completed the trial of the Bangabandhu Murder case and brought many war criminals to the book, making the notion false that the government would not be able to touch them.
“The trial of the war criminals manifested that people are the main power to determine the political course. Overwhelming support of the grassroots workers of Awami League and common masses are her main strength to bring the war criminal to the court of justice, “she said.
Noting that the development of the people is the prime and foremost priority of her government, the prime minister said not a single family in the country will remain without home and live in poverty.
Sheikh Hasina said her government had to overcome many hurdles over the last five years to bring the country to the current stage. The government had to face fierce opposition to continue democracy.
In this regard, she mentioned about the violent movement of BNP in 2004 and expressed her surprise – how a political party could unleash such violent activities and burn people alive in the name of political movement.
People paid heavily throughout the whole tenure of BNP from 2001 to 2006 as they concentrated their tortures and intimidations on Awami League, minorities, women and children, she said, adding that their misrule pushed the country towards declaring state-of-emergency. BNP has no vision or objective for the country’s development. Their only goal is to make their own fortune, the prime minister said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh was liberated at the cost of the blood of millions of people who cherished the dream of building a happy and prosperous nation. “We should be careful so that their dreams don’t go in vein,” she said.
The prime minister said no government except ones led by Awami League could take forward the country to an accelerating development path.
“So, you have to work to make people aware so that they don’t cast votes for a political party responsible for promoting militants, terrorists, killing and corruption,” she said.
BSS/AKH/GA/1640 hrs