Renewing her party’s allegation that Khaleda Zia boycotted the January-5 election sensing defeat, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the BNP chief had actually wanted to create a Thailand-like situation where martial law was declared amid the opposition’s movement.“She (Khaleda) had actually wanted to create a situation in the country like the one in Thailand obstructing the January-5 election,” she told a big public rally here at Habiganj New ground.
Hasina said the BNP leader had tried to foil the election. “What would have happened had the election been stopped…look at Thailand, martial law has been declared there, and there has been no election schedule.”
The Prime Minister also said Khaleda Zia did not participate in the election sensing defeat. “But why did you (Khaleda) try to resist people, why did you kill the presiding officer,” she asked.
Chaired by local MP Advocate Abu Jahir, the rally was addressed, among others, by AL advisory council member Suranjit Sengupta, Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, State Minister for Youth and Sports Biren Sikder, former chief whip Abdus Shahid, Biren Sikder and local Awami League leaders. – UNB
bdnews24.com adds: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called her bitter political foe Khaleda Zia “the greatest traitor” of Bangladesh for giving cabinet berths to war criminals.At a party rally in Habiganj on Saturday, she said the BNP chief would be tried “in court of the people” for “betraying” the sacrifices of the freedom fighters.
“The BNP formed government with the Jamaat-e-Islami and made the war criminals ministers,” Hasina said.
War crimes convicts Jamaat leaders Motiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed were ministers in Khaleda’s 2001-06 Cabinet.
“She (Khaleda) handed over the flag to those who collaborated with the Pakistan occupation army in looting and burning villages, killing people, violating women in 1971, Hasina said.
“They are war criminals,” she added.
“Khaleda Zia has betrayed the nation and the sacrifice of the martyrs by handing over this flag to them (war criminals).
“She will be tried someday in the people’s court in the same way as [suspected] war criminals are for betraying the blood of the martyrs.
“She is the enemy of the country and the people. She doesn’t want welfare of the people,” Hasina further alleged.
Regarding Khaleda’s decision to boycott the Jan 5 polls, the Awami League president said, “It is good in one way. Parliament does not have to hear filthy words. It’s civilised now. People have gained back confidence in Parliament.”
