Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on Sunday reiterated her call for people’s alertness against murderers’ and war criminals’ attempts to regain the power to destroy the country.
“We have achieved victory. We have to march ahead upholding the flag of victory,” she said while chairing an Awami League (AL) discussion at the Krishibid Institute Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium at Farmgate in Dhaka, marking the 52nd Victory Day.
Sheikh Hasina added, “So, we all have to be alert to make sure that the killers and war criminals cannot destroy the country by regaining the (state) power.”
The premier said BNP wanted to oust the AL government by giving an ultimatum on December 10, when the process of killing the country's top intellectuals started just ahead of the cherished victory 51 years back.
“Is it (ousting) so easy?” she posed a question.
The premier said AL had demonstrated its capacity to topple governments in the past, adding, “we had ousted Ayub Khan. We had removed Yahya Khan after defeating him in the Liberation War, (and) we had unseated Ershad.”
She said Awami League, however, could not oust Ziaur Rahman but protests were staged wherever he had gone.
“We also removed Khaleda Zia on charges of rigging vote in the February 15, 1996, national election,” Sheikh Hasina said.
She added that AL also foiled Khaleda Zia’s attempt to stage a farcical election with 1.23 crore fake voters in 2006.
However, she said, it is difficult to oust the Awami League government through movements.
“Conspiracies are hatched whenever Awami League is in power. We had been barred from coming to power due to conspiracies in 2001. The people of the country had to suffer for it,” the premier said.
People have to decide whether they want to suffer, or to march towards prosperity with an indomitable pace, holding the flag of victory, she said, adding, “We will build ‘Smart Bangladesh’ by 2041.”
Be prepared to pay actual cost of electricity generation
PM Sheikh Hasina said her government has fulfilled its commitment to provide electricity connection to every house.
She said the government had to ration electricity in the country for some days due to the global price hike of fuel and gas.
“But now, that problem is over,” the premier said, adding that the supply of 800MW electricity from the Payra Thermal Power Plant started last week.
The PM said that the government supplies electricity to everyone at subsidised prices, though the production cost is much higher. But it will not be possible to provide electricity at lower prices considering the global recession.
“The actual cost will have to be paid,” she said,
Mentioning that the price of gas has increased in the international market, the PM said, “Everyone, including businessmen in the country, will have to exercise austerity and will have to be ready to pay the money spent on the (increased) price of gas and transport cost.
“Otherwise, we will not be able to provide electricity. If you want (electricity), you will have to pay the real prices.”
The PM said costs of electricity, gas, water and fuel can be reduced by exercising austerity.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister and AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader gave the welcoming address.
AL Advisory Council Member Amir Hossain Amu, Presidium Members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Shajahan Khan, Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Bir Bikram, and Simeen Hussain Rimi, spoke at the meeting.
Among others, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Liberation War Affairs Secretary Advocate Mrinal Kanti Das, Dhaka North and South City AL President and General Secretary Sheikh Bazlur Rahman and Humayun Kabir respectively, also spoke.
AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap and his deputy M Aminul Islam moderated the discussion.
