Unite to Win next Election Hasina Urges AL Leaders Workers

BANGLADESH NEWS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged her party leaders and workers to uphold unity among themselves so that Awami League could win the next general election and thus serve people again.

“You need to keep in mind that we will have to win the next general election and serve people,” she said while addressing a views exchange meeting with the district AL leaders and workers at Bahubal in Rashidpur.

Organised by Habiganj district unit AL, the meeting was held with district AL President Dr Mushfique Hossain Chowdhury in the chair.

Hasina asked her party leaders and workers to project the implemented and ongoing development activities taken by the present government among the masses.

Turning to BNP rule, she alleged that whenever the party came to power, it resorted to looting and embezzlement of money, even of the orphanage.

“They (BNP) did not have time to think about people as they were busy with these works (irregularities),” she said, adding that AL only assumes power to serve people.

Referring to the by-polls in Habiganj where the ruling party lost its seat, Hasina told her party leaders and workers that they would not have to face the disgrace of defeat had they sincerely worked for people. “We will have to work together in the coming days.”

Blaming the BNP-Jamaat alliance for turning the county into one of killing, extremism and terrorism, she said, “In the last three years, we have been able to remove that bad reputation and brighten the country's image.”

Listing various development activities taken by the present government, Hasina said the country has neared self-sufficiency in food production and witnessed bumper production of crops for three consecutive years. “We hope to achieve self-sufficiency in food by 2013.”

Mentioning her government's steps to overcome the power and gas crises, she said some 3,300 MW of power has been added to the national grid over the last three years. “We want the country to be developed fast so that we can stand on our own feet.”

Citing that some 5,175 various elections were held under the present government, she said no one could bring any allegation regarding the polls. “The voting rights are the constitutional rights of the people and such peaceful elections were never held in the past.”

The prime minister said her government always works for ensuring the welfare of people and mentioned various activities like providing free textbooks, forming education-assistance funds and giving the highest facilities to farmers.

Hasina also expressed her strong commitment to build an educated nation. “We want our children to become educated…we want to turn the country into a middle-income one by 2021.”

She also renewed her pledge to build a “Sonar Bangla” as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Turning to the recent maritime boundary verdict in the case against Myanmar, she expressed hope that Bangladesh's claim would be upheld in the debate over the maritime boundary with India in 2014.

She also assured the workers of tea estates of the area of resolving their problems.

The prime minister also inaugurated Rashidpur Condensate Fractionation Plant (2nd phase) at Bahubal.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Social Welfare Minister Enamul Hoque Mostofa Shaheed, AL Organising Secretary Advocate Mesbahuddin Siraj, lawmaker Advocate Abdul Mazid Khan, the upazila Chairman Abdul Kader Chowdhury, Bahubal upazila AL President Nazmul Hossain Chowdury and Petrobangla Chairman Dr Hossain Monsur also spoke on the occasion.