If AL not voted to power, you are to blame

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday sounded warning that the grassroots leaders and activists of Awami League would be responsible if they failed to persuade people to cast their votes in favour of the party in the next general elections.
‘We have implemented a lot of development programmes in the country. It won’t be acceptable if people don’t cast their votes for boat symbol after such massive development,’ she said. 
Hasina, also president of Awami League, was addressing a special extended meeting of the AL at her official residence, Ganabhaban.
The special extended meeting was organised marking the party’s 69th founding anniversary. 
Over 4,000 leaders from across the country attended the meeting.
‘The next general election will be competitive and we want to go to power again being voted by people,’ Hasina told the meeting.
She instructed the party leaders to start preparations and campaigns for the next general elections.
‘Returning to your respective constituencies, go door to door and start begging votes for “boat”.
‘You should project to people the development works carried out by the Awami League-led government and also tell the people that the development of the country will be destroyed if the Awami League fails to come to power again. 
‘I believe that the people will not commit any mistake and will help continuation of the country’s development. If we are defeated, I will think that you failed to make people understand the development works done by Awami League,’ she said.
After the opening session of the meeting, district leaders from eight divisions spoke in a closed door session, where they demanded that the centre of the party should evaluate the roles of the grassroots leader.
They also urged that Awami League should remain united and the united party would not be defeated to anybody.
They also stressed that the party should be careful regarding the outsiders who entered the party to tarnish its image. 
ASM Khairuzzaman Liton from Rajshahi, Benzir Ahmed from Dhaka, Harun-or-Rashid from Khulna, Dhirendra Debnath Shombhu from Barisal, Baki Billah form Mymensingh divisions, among others, spoke at the programme, AL central committee member Raymond Arang told New Age, emerging from the meeting.
Hasina said fate of those who usurped power or remained close to power changed earlier but Awami League was trying to change the fate of the masses.
The prime minister said whatever the country achieved till date it was due to Awami League. 
The AL president also warned of withdrawing nomination of those who would act against the party.
‘Aspirants who will speak against the party will not be given the tickets too,’ she warned. 
The AL president also spoke on the party’s policy of forging alliance with other parties and said, ‘We’ll continue it.’
‘As Awami League forged the alliance for the sake of elections, as the big party it must shoulder the responsibility of keeping the alliance alive,’ she said.
Hasina asked the leaders and activists to work for the party-backed candidates forgetting personal enmity and internal feud.
‘It is not important who gets the nomination. The important matter is to work together for the party symbol,’ she said, asking them to convince people so that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance could not come to power.
The party president also asked them to remain alert against the intruders saying that they were the friends of good time.
‘As we have been in office for long, many are joining the party to reap benefit. So, do not patronise them,’ she said, adding that she already ran a survey of the intruders.
Highlighting the glorious role of the party, the AL president said all the achievements of the nation were possible under AL leadership.
‘Awami League was founded to achieve the country’s independence,’ she said. 
‘Awami League works for people. It has been proved that the country gets the desired development if politics is on the right track,’ she added.
Bitterly criticising BNP’s politics, she said, ‘BNP amended its constitution to keep corrupt individuals in top position. It proves that BNP is corrupt party.’
Obaidul Quader, general secretary of the party, gave welcome address at the meeting.
Earlier, Hasina with the party central leaders placed wreaths at the portrait of founding president of the country Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmandi.
Hasina inaugurated the party’s newly built 10-storey permanent central office at 23, Bangabandu Avenue.

News Courtesy:www.newagebd.net