Reelect AL to keep up peace, uplift: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the people to reelect Bangladesh Awami League to continue the country's peace, progress and development, saying that all uplift activities would be halted if the BNP-Jamaat nexus comes to power.

Sheikh Hasina said if Awami League is reelected, development of everybody will be made and their life would be beautiful. But there would be no uplift and all development activities would be stopped if the BNP-Jamaat, the plunderers, terrorists, militants and illegal power grabbers, comes to power. "They won't give anything, rather they would eat everything," she said.

"So I hope that you would give us an opportunity to serve you again by casting vote for "boat", the symbol of Awami League," she added.

Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, said this while addressing a mammoth public rally at Shantahar Stadium here yesterday afternoon.

Adamdighi Upazila Awami League organized the rally with its president Ansar Ali Mridha in the chair.

Land Minister Shamsur Rahman Sharif Dilu, Food Minister Advocate Qamrul Islam, AL Joint Secretaries Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, Organizing Secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan, Bogra District Awami League President Momtazuddin, Abdul Mannan, MP, Habibur Rahman, MP, and Shahiduzzaman Sarkar, MP, among others, also spoke at the meeting.

The premier said the people got independence and the country witnessed economic development as the Awami League was voted to power. People have got economic solvency and they are getting education and medical facilities as the Awami League is in power, she said.

"I have nothing to lose as I lost my father, mother and brothers. I am working only for you by sacrificing everything and find love and affection among you. So it's my appeal to everybody to give us a scope in future to serve you again and continue the trend of development," she said.

The Awami League president said the people get something when the 'boat' meaning Awami League comes to power. But when the 'paddy of sheaf' meaning BNP assumes power, the country witnesses food crisis and deficit as well as plundering, corruption, terrorism and militancy, she said.

Illustrating her government's various steps for development, the prime minister said her government has embarked on a mega plan to set up 100 economic zones across the country for industrialization and for generating massive employment in the country.

Sheikh Hasina said the government has slashed down poverty rate to 22 percent from 47 percent. "Our target is to cut the rate to 15 percent. We want not a single person to remain poor and homeless, and for that we hope you would cast vote for Awami League again," she said.

Referring to the repression and torture after the 2001 election and rampage and violence from 2013 to 2015 unleashed by the BNP-Jamaat clique, Sheikh Hasina said they only know how to play ducks and drakes with the fate of the countrymen, kill people by burning and make fortune by committing graft and arms smuggling.

She said son was killed in front of father, while husband was murdered in front of his wife at the directives of Khaleda Zia during the three-month blockade and hartal enforced by the BNP-Jamaat in 2015. "Khaleda Zia didn't feel any pain, rather she directed her workers to commit such heinous crimes and they executed her order," she said.

Sheikh Hasina reiterated her firm stance that there won't be any place for terrorism and militancy and requested all including guardians, religious leaders, teachers, students to be united against these evils to maintain peace and development in the country.

She said Islam is the religion of peace, harmony and brotherhood and it does not speak of killing of human being. "So I would like to request all to be united so that militancy and terrorism could not get any space in the country and we could ensure the country's development in a peaceful environment."

The prime minister said her party Bangladesh Awami League restored democracy in the country. The people have democratic rights and they are casting vote peacefully and electing representatives through votes. "The country is witnessing economic uplift as there is democratic environment. Bangladesh is moving ahead and would continue to march forward," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government believes in balanced development and that's why a massive uplift took place in Bogra. The BNP government cut the budget money allocated for Gopalganj and no development was made in the district. "But we do politics for the people and we don't see which development takes place in which area," she said.

"We believe in balanced development and whatever development took place in Bogra that was during our government," she said.

The prime minister said her government is establishing university in every district for ensuring higher education for students. "Such a university would be set up in Bogra and a law to this end is being framed whatever commitments we made earlier are being fulfilled and we keep and would keep our pledges," she said.

Earlier from the venue of the public rally, the premier inaugurated an extension part of Nandigram Upazila Complex, Shahjaanpur Thana Bhaban, Integrated Education Programme Building for Visually Impaired Persons, Shibganj Upazila Muktijoddha Complex Bhaban, Sicharpar Cluster Village Project-3, 12 Ashrayan Project at Sariya Kandi, Irrigation Programme through Solar Panel at Adamdighi Upazila, District Family Planning Office Building, a 10-bed Mother and Child Welfare Centre at Nungola of Barura Sadar.

She also laid the foundation of the construction of Khoisha Kuri Bridge on Sariyakandi Highway, Joybhoga Bridge, Hatfulbari Bridge on Bogra-Sariyakandi Highway, a 10-kilometre rural road at Sonatala, Bogra Press Club Bhaban and Extension part of Sonatala Upazila Council administrative building and its hall room.

Source: BSS