Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has found amusing that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, after boycotting the national elections, is now giving importance to the Upazila polls.
The Awami League president, unsurprisingly, took a jibe at her arch rival while addressing a public rally in Rajshahi’s Sarda on Saturday. “She (Khaleda) loses temper the moment she hears the name of Gopalganj (Hasina’s ancestral home)”, she told the mass rally.
“I retorted saying ‘Gopalis’ are lucky people.” Punning at Khaleda Zia, she said, “What about her, our Golapi (pink) in a Golapi saree. Where is Golapi now?” “Golapi is now riding the Upazlia train, having missed the train for national election.”Awami League secured majority and returned to power following the controversial national election on Jan 5, which was boycotted by then main opposition BNP and its allies.
BNP, which actively resisted the polls, has been terming the new government illegal, claiming that no more than 5 percent of the voters turned out to cast their votes.
“The Election Commission and international organisations said there was 40 percent turnout,” said the prime minister. “But she (Khaleda) keeps repeating like a broken record – people didn’t vote!”
In another dig at the BNP chief Hasina said, “She failed in her movement just like she did in matriculation exam.”
“Now the loser cries all day sitting at home. The people did not respond to her call which was the answer she deserved.”
“Do not do this again, if you have any shame,” she said, urging the BNP chairperson to stop her ‘lies, blockades and strikes’.
“We build while she destroys,” said the Awami League chief. “The queen of destruction does not like to see people in peace.”
Earlier in the day, Hasina was the chief guest at the passing out parade of assistant police superintendents at Sarda Police Academy.
She addressed the rally at Sarda Pilot High School ground in the afternoon and handed cheques to 77 victims of political and communal violence before the meeting.-bdnews24.com
