Keep confidence in AL: PM

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday called upon the countrymen to keep confidence in the Awami League and reelect the party in the next elections to serve the people again. 

‘Have trust and confidence in the Awami League . . . we hope you would give us an opportunity to serve you by making victorious our candidates in all elections in the future,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, was addressing a mammoth public meeting organised by Lakshmipur district unit of the party at Lakshmipur Stadium this afternoon.

The prime minister said Awami League has already proved that work for the welfare of the people could be done if there is an intention. 

‘There is no need to raise demand to the party as it liberated the country under the leadership of Bangabandhu. Awami League knows well how to ensure development for the people,’ she said. 

The prime minister urged the countrymen to work together for building a developed and prosperous Bangladesh as well as a beautiful society. 

‘We want the country to be developed and prosperous... let's come to build the country together. We have a firm belief that we could be able to achieve the goal, Insha Allah,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her father, mother and brothers sacrificed their lives for the country's independence, changing the lot of the people and bringing their economic emancipation. 

She said she also dedicated her life to the interest, welfare and development of the people. ‘It is my promise that, if needed, I would also sacrifice my life like my father for establishing Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous nation in the world by changing the luck of the people.’ 

The prime minister added that her government has been working tirelessly to maintain peace and security for the people and build Bangladesh by upholding the spirit of the liberation war. 

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in her first visit to the southeastern district after 1997, earlier inaugurated 10 development projects and laid the foundation stones of 17 others by unveiling plaques at the stadium. 

General secretary of Awami League and minister for road transport and bridges Obaidul Quader, local MP Shajahan Kamal and other central and local Awami League leaders spoke at the meeting. 

District AL president Golam Faruk Pinku was in the chair, while general secretary Nooruddin Chowdhury Nayan conducted the meeting.

The prime minister said when the Awami League comes to power, the development of the country is ensured and the people get something. ‘But BNP-Jamaat's coming to power means terrorism and extremism and making the life of the people hell,’ she said. 

Sheikh Hasina said the BNP-Jamaat government had let loose a reign of terror across the country including Lakshmipur. ‘Leaders and workers of Awami League and its associate bodies could not stay at their houses in the district when the BNP-Jamaat was in power,’ she said.

‘Freedom fighters, women, children, minority people and journalists were not spared by them from their heinous acts,’ she said, adding the killing of the people did not end when the BNP was in opposition.

Sheikh Hasina said the BNP-Jamaat nexus unleashed atrocities in 2013, 2014 and 2015 on the innocent people in the name of movement. ‘They burnt 231 people to death and injured 1,180 people through arson attacks,’ she said.

The prime minister said the BNP-Jamaat clique torched 582 primary schools, 70 government offices and burnt buses, trucks, rails, launches and CNGs. They committed the crimes at the directives of Khaleda Zia and her son, she said.

The prime minister said the BNP-Jamaat does not believe in religion as they made hostage the countrymen during their three-month so-called movement and torched mosques and burnt thousands of copies of the Quran. They also killed a Krishak League leader inside a mosque in Bogra, she said. ‘What religion perpetrators of such offences believe in?’ she asked.

Sheikh Hasina reiterated her call to the people of all strata including guardians, teachers, students, religious leaders and public representatives to remain alert so the children don't get engaged in extremism. 

‘You will have to stay careful so that the children don't step into the wrong path and you will have to take information if there is any student remains absent in his class,’ she said. 

The prime minister reaffirmed that Islam is the religion of peace, harmony and brotherhood and there is no room for terrorism and extremism in it. ‘Islam never supports the killing of innocent people, while our great prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) never supported killing, rather he always talked against it,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has taken a project to build a modern mosque-cum-Islamic cultural centre in every upazila so that the people get real teaching of Islam. ‘We took the initiative to keep the people in the path of peace and prevent them from getting involved in extremism,’ she said.

The prime minister also spelled out government's tremendous successes in agriculture, food security, education, health, social safety net and women empowerment. ‘We are working for development of every area as we believe in balanced development,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina also reiterated her determination to establish Bangladesh as a middle income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041.

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