Home ›› 30 Jan 2023 ›› Governance
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said that no one will pay heed to BNP in its call to fight against corruption as the top leaders of the opposition party have already been convicted in graft cases.
She was addressing a massive public meeting at Rajshahi Madrasha ground on her first visit to the northwestern district in past five years. The rally was organised by Rajshahi district and metropolitan Awami League.
“They (BNP) want to build a movement against the corruption. But who will join them knowing their past record of graft?” She questioned amid cheers from the jubilant crowd.
In this regard, she said BNP leaders might forget that in 2007 their leader Tarique Rahman went abroad signing a bond paper that he will never again do politics.
“Khaleda And Tarique are convicted in corruption cases. Even out of the money that Khaleda Zia siphoned off abroad through Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman Coco the government could bring about Tk 40 crore to Bangladesh,” Hasina said.
“Will they be able to answer this?,” she said pointing to BNP leaders.
She once again said that whenever AL comes to power, the fate of the people of Bangladesh changes for the better.
She requested the people of Rajshahi to cast their votes in favour of boat (electoral symbol of AL) in the next election, which will be held at the end of this year or early next year, for the sake of continuation of the development spree of the country and make the country a Smart Bangladesh by 2041.
Briefly describing various development programmes of the government for Rajshahi, she said in the last 14 years development programmes worth some Tk 10660 crore have been implemented for Rajshahi district and the city.
She urged the affluent section of Rajshahi to come forward to build an international standard hotel here so that the government could arrange international cricket match here.
The prime minister laughed at the BNP leaders’ recent comments that they will forge a movement to oust the government so the AL leaders get no path to flee the country.
AL will not run away from the country, rather it will continue its works for national development taking the mass people with it, she said.
“Awami League never runs away, rather it always work for the country taking people with them. This organisation was formed by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she said.
She said that opposition BNP leaders are talking nonsense.
“They are giving us ultimatums, they say we will not find way to run away (facing the anti-government movement of the BNP and its alliance),” she said.
“You should find out who runs away,” she asked those who have forged alliances with BNP and Jamaat.
In this connection, she said that even Ziaur Rahman tried to bar her from returning to the country after the assassination of the Father of the Nation.
“I came to the country defying that restriction,” she said. Again in 2007, she said, while caretaker government came to power she went abroad as her daughter-in-laws was sick after delivery.
“I went there to see her, but they (the caretaker government) tried to prevent my return. I came back forcibly in any way. Even a murder case was lodged against me. I told them that I will go to the country and face the case. I came back to the country just thinking about the people of Bangladesh.”
“Those who are saying that AL will not get a chance to escape, I am clearly telling them, rather your leaders always run away.”
She the current BNP leader acting chairman Tarique Rahman has been convicted in corruption cases.
Sheikh Hasina said that the people got independence through casting their votes for boat, while the country has become self-reliant in food and witnessed inauguration of hundred bridges in a single day.
Besides, the people get both development and peace when Awami League remains in the state power, she said.
The PM said, her government has brought the entire country under a strong and developed communication network, and industries are being set up to ensure employment opportunities for all including the youth.
On the other hand, she said, BNP-led past governments gave terrorism, militancy, corruption and money laundering, while they also burnt the people including police alive in the name of political movement.
“Terrorists and militants like Bangla Bhai and his cohorts carried out processions with arms in open day light under police protection in Rajshahi,” she said.
Hasina regretted that the BNP and its allies cannot tolerate anything better of the people of Bangladesh and added that BNP leaders and activists are very inhumane.
She said that her government has introduced mosque-based education system, while Imams and Muajjins are getting financial assistance from the Muslim Religion Welfare Trust.
Besides, works of constructing 560 model mosque-cum-Islamic cultural centres are progressing across the country, she said.
“Dawra-e Hadith has been given recognition as equivalent to Master’s Degree.” She said that steps have also been taken so that the students of madrasas can stand on their own.
Referring to Covid-19 pandemic situation, the prime minister said, people of the country got vaccines free of cost as Awami League has been in the power, on the other hand, even developed world could not provide Covid vaccines free of cost.
While pointing out the issue of Ukraine-Russia war, she said, the entire world is facing economic crisis due to the war and price of goods and transportation cost have increased by many folds creating hardship for all.
Acting president of Rajshahi City Awami League Mohammad Ali Kamal presided over the meeting.
AL presidium members Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Rajshahi City Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, AL general secretary Obaidul Quader, Information And Broadcasting Minister Dr Mohammad Hasan Mahmud, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shariar Alam, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak, AL organising secretary SM Kamal, AL central working committee member Nurul Islam Thandu and BCL president Saddam Hossain also spoke.
