In a scathing attack on the opposition leader for her fresh vow to introduce a new trend in governing the country if BNP returns to power, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Friday said Khaleda Zia would destroy the country’s independence and sovereignty by resorting afresh to corruption, terrorism, looting and money laundering. “She (Khaleda) now intends to run the country with a new trend. There was Hawa Bhaban in her previous term which was used for corruption and looting. Now she (Khaleda) will open ‘Notun Bhaban’ and foil the
country’s independence and sovereignty by resorting to corruption…” Hasina said.
The Prime Minister was addressing a public rally adjacent to Mugda 500-bed General Hospital in the city’s Khilgaon area.
The rally was organised by the Sabujbagh and Khilgaon thana Awami League. AL joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, organizing secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, AL city unit general secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Local MP Saber Hossain Chowdhury spoke at the meeting.
Hasina also called upon the people to remain alert about those who committed corruption, terrorism and were patrons of the war criminals, especially against those who burned the copies of holy Quran in the
name of protecting Islam.
“I’ll call upon you to strengthen Awami League in light with the spirit of war of independence and thus protect the country together from the corrupts, militants and terrorists,” she said expressing her strong resolve to turn Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous nation by 2021 when Bangladesh would be observing its golden jubilee of independence.
Turning to the ongoing war crimes trial, Hasina said those war criminals who have committed looting, arson, oppressed women, children, are now coming under trial. “The nation has started getting the verdicts one after another, and Bangladesh is coming out of its stigma… we’ve acted upon our election pledges…. Could there be any bigger achievement than this?”
Alleging that the opposition leader has been trying to protect the war criminals and also those Hefajat-e-Islam leaders and workers who have burned hundreds of copies of holy Quran, Hasina sought cooperation of all in resisting this alleged ill-motive of the opposition leader.
Criticising the role of the opposition leader again for her 48-hour ultimatum to the government in May using Hefajat-e-Islam, the Prime Minister alleged that it was specially the BNP-Jamaat men alongside
the Hefajat-e-Islam who had burned holy Quran, laid siege to Shapla Chattar, cut down hundreds of trees on road islands.
Hasina also slammed the opposition for labeling the ruling party and its chief atheist. “Performing all religious rituals and prayers we’ve become atheists to them, but those whose day begins at 12 noon
or at 2:00 pm, she (Khaleda) becomes a believer…my question is what kind of Hefajat is this through burning Quran,”
Hasina was also highly critical about Khaleda Zia for writing an article at the Washington Times appealing to the US government for scrapping the GSP facility to Bangladesh leaving scores of workers in
peril.
Listing various development activities taken by her government in various fields, the Prime Minister said, “We’ve accomplished many things, many are underway and the rest would be implemented in future.”
To this end, she also sought votes from the local people to reelect Awami League in the next general election to finish the unfinished works of the government and thus improve the living standards of
people.
Citing her government’s step for constructing one lakh flats for the low and middle-income groups to give them some relief from the growing house rents, Hasina said that works for construction of 20,000 flats
have already begun and the work for building 50,000 more flats would start soon.
“But, if we couldn’t retain power, then its construction would be stopped and the common people would be deprived of living in the flats,” she added.
Alleging that the country had become champions in corruption during the period of the BNP-Jamaat alliance, Hasina said that the AL-led Grand Alliance government has erased that bad name as well as working relentlessly to turn the country into developed and prosperous.
“Our politics is to serve the common people, to reach the benefits of independence to their doorsteps,” Hasina said expressing her high optimism of further reducing the poverty rate from around present 26
percent and thus give an improved life to each and every people of the country if it is voted to power again.
Claiming that the government has been able to contain the price of essentials during the month of Ramadan due to strict monitoring, she also urged all to be judicious in using water and electricity.
Hasina also announced that another Water Treatment Plant would be set up in Khilgaon area to meet its growing demand.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the 500-bed Mugda General Hospital at Khilgaon in the city started functioning on Friday to further expand the health care services in the capital.
Public Works Department implemented the 13-storey public hospital on 9.52 acres of land at a cost of Tk 110 crore. The Department of Architecture made the physical planning and design of the hospital
constructed under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.- UNB
