Get ready for polls, focus to be on party activities: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked leaders and workers of her party to take all out preparations for the next general elections for a third consecutive win.

Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League president, also announced that all activities of her party would be run by keeping the next elections in mind.

"In order to ensure current pace of development, Awami League has to win for the third term. So, from now on you will have to take all out preparations to this end," she said.

"We want to serve the people again after winning the next elections and our activities would be conducted centering on the next polls," she added.

The prime minister said this while delivering her introductory and concluding speeches on the second day of the triennial council of the party at Engineers Institution here.

Mentioning that the next elections will be held by 2019, Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League chief, said she never wants her party to be questionable in the next polls.

"I never want in any way the Awami League to come into question in the next elections. I want our party to win the polls and serve the people of Bangladesh again," she said.

In this context, the premier said leaders and workers of the party should go to the doorstep of the voters in their respective areas and project the successes of the present government to them.

"Elections will be held in the coming days, it's a must for us to go to the doorstep of the mass people if we want to win the next polls for the third consecutive time...we have to convey the message of development the Awami League government has carried out," she said.

She asked them to tell the people that true socioeconomic development of the country only happens when Awami League is in power. 

"We've to convince the people that the country's socioeconomic development takes place when Awami League remains in power," she said.

Sheikh Hasina also asked the party leaders and activists to stay alert so that those who pampered war criminals, killed people through arson attacks and laundered money and embezzled orphans' funds cannot come to power. 

Terming the honesty as a precious asset for politicians, the Awami League chief said she wants to see honesty among the leaders and workers of her party. 

When Sheikh Hasina said she wants to see in her lifetime that the councillors would elect a new chief for the party and strengthen the party further, the councillors said, "No, no".

In an emotion-charged voice, she said Awami League is her near and dear one, Awami League is her family, she did not give as much time to her children which she gave to the party.

Pointing out that the responsibility of the president of Awami League is huge, Sheikh Hasina said she would try her best to discharge the duty properly. 

"You have given a big task to me once again and I would try my level best to discharge the duty," she said. 

Sheikh Hasina, however, said that it is very tough to perform the responsibilities of the Prime Minister and the party president simultaneously. 

"You have given that difficult task again to me and I am accepting it," she said.

The prime minister vowed to continue the socioeconomic development programmes that her government has taken for the uplift of the people. 

"We will continue our socioeconomic development programmes in the country as per our election manifesto and I seek cooperation from all of you in this regard," she said.

Sheikh Hasina also reiterated her determination to eliminate poverty from the country and asked the AL leaders and activists to prepare a list of ultra poor who are homeless and distressed. 

"We have already reduced the poverty rate drastically, but we want to bring it down to zero level ... I want all out cooperation from you to achieve the goal," she said.

In this connection, she said her government wants that not a single person would remain hungry, homeless and distressed and suffer for lack of treatment.

Source: BSS