Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the grassroots leaders and activists of Awami League will be held responsible if people do not cast their votes in favour of the party in the next general election.
“We’ve implemented so many developmentprogrammes…we’ve developed the country. It won’t be acceptable if people don’t cast votes for Boat after such massive development works,” she said.
The Prime Minister was speaking at a special extended meeting of the partywith its leaders came from across the country at her official residence Ganobhaban.
The leaders of Awami League central working committee, advisory council and national committee, district, city and upazila units’ presidents and secretaries, and parliament members attended the meeting.
Presidents and secretaries of all the units of Dhaka North and South city corporations and presidents and secretaries of the party’s all fronts and associate bodies also attended the meeting.
Sheikh Hasina, also the chief of Awami League, said there is no reason that people will not vote Awami League to power in the upcoming election.
“If that happens, you the leaders and activists of the grassroots level will be held responsible…this is my opinion, which will mean that you have failed to reach out to the mass people, serve them, convince them, inform them about the tremendous developments that have taken place during the government,” she said.
Hasina insisted that there is no reason to suffer defeat by Awami League candidates in the election.
The Prime Minister mentioned that Bangladesh never witnessed such development as no government in the past had been able to do so.”So, why other party will get votes… why BNP which is involved in killing, coup, arson attacks, gambling, drugs, looting orphans money, corruption, terrorism and militancy will get votes,” she questioned.
The Prime Minister said she is looking for an answer to the question why BNP will get votes. “So, you (grassrootsleaders and activists) have the huge responsibility.”
AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader also spoke at the meeting.
Sheikh Hasina asked the leaders and activists to maintain unity in the party and work for the party and the country with a sacrificing attitude. “People will cast their votes,” she said.
She warned the nomination aspirants not to go for vote rigging against which Awami League fought for a long time.
“No one will be able to win through vote rigging, no one will be allowed to play with the voting rights of people,” she said.
She asked the party leaders and activists to remain alert so that the next national election is held in a transparent way and no one can raise question about the election.
“We don’t want to earn the bad name of vote rigging like BNP…we have to return to power with people’s votes,” she said.
Saying that the next election is very much challenging for the ruling party, Sheikh Hasina asked all to work for the party nominated candidates.
Sheikh Hasina said that now it is seen that some people came up with self-proclaimed MP candidature.
“These people are often seen criticising the sitting MPs and the organisation while seeking votes, they do not tell anything about the misdeeds, killings, militancy and terrorism,” she said.
She announced that if any nomination seeker criticises the sitting MP and the organisation they will not get party nomination. “This is very clear.”
The Prime Minister also said if any AL man criticises the government being in the government for ten years the people will not cast their votes in his or her favour. “I won’t accept it that anyone will taint the party just to get the party nomination…all need to keep this in mind.”
Issuing a warning to the sitting MPs, the Awami League chief said people are very much cautious…if anyone commits corruption people remember it very well. “If you (MPs) take money for any job, people will tell you during the election time that we have given you money for our work, why will we give you vote now,” she said.
Hasina also mentioned that the party nomination will depend on the popularity of a candidate among the rank and file. “I’ll consider the evaluation of the grassroots leaders.”
Regarding the grand alliance, Hasina said the party formed the alliance for the sake of election. “We will do that in the future, too as we don’t want to lose our friends.”
The Prime Minister said if the BNP-Jamaat clique managed to come to power they will just destroy the country as they do not believe in the independence and existence of the country.
She directed the leaders and workers of her party, including the Parliament Members, to appropriately project massive success stories and achievements of her government before people.
The Prime Minister sought the cooperation of all, including leaders and workers of her party, in celebrating birth centenary of the Father of the Nation in 2020 through establishing poverty- and hunger-free nation as well as turning the country into a developed and prosperous one in 2041.
A one-minute silence was also observed showing profound respect to greatest Bangalee of all times Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other martyrs of the 15th August carnage, Liberation War martyrs and others who laid down their lives during the struggles of establishing rights of the people of the country.
