Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Thursday it was BNP’s own decision not to participate in the last general election and they did it out of sympathy for Jamaat as it could not contest the polls for losing its registration with the Election Commission.
She said had the election not taken place, then there could have been state of emergency again or any unconstitutional system.
Referring to the BNP-Jamaat, the PM said it was unfortunate for the nation that many are now engaging in terrorist and militant acts by not getting public support. “What kind of movement is this? Killing people is not a movement or mass movement rather terrorist and militant acts,” she added.“If any wrong decision is taken in politics, then the person concerned has to pay for that. Khaleda Zia had taken a wrong decision by boycotting the last general election (held on Jan 5 last year). Why should the nation and the common people pay for that? It’s she (Khaleda) who will have to pay dearly,” she said.
The Prime Minister was addressing the inaugural session of the three-day 19th Biennial Conference of the Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh auditorium in the city’s Ramna area.
Hasina alleged when her party assumed office through the January-5 polls and thus strengthened democracy, BNP was moving ahead with its movement.
“The BNP chief has called for countrywide blockade and her blockade has caused arsons and killings — nothing else. BNP activists are acting the way Jamaat men do,” she added.
Law Commission Chairman ABM Khairul Haque spoke on the occasion as the guest of honour with BEA President Dr Abul Barkat in the chair.
Earlier, the Prime Minister handed over the BEA Gold Medal-2015 to the family members of four renowned economists. The recipients of the BEA Gold Medals are Prof Dr Ashok Mitra, Dr Mosharraf Hossain (Posthumous), Prof Dr Nurul Islam and Lutfur Rahman Sarker (Posthumous).
At the function, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chairman of the Law Commission former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque were given ‘Honorary Life Time Membership’ of the BEA in recognition to their contributions to the country and its people.
Hasina said the people who never believed in the country’s independence always want to create obstacles to its development and they want to make the nation dependent on others.
Referring to the construction of the Padma Bridge, Sheikh Hasina said the government has started the works with its own finance overcoming all the conspiracies at home and abroad to lebel charges of corruption. – UNB
According to another report, the Prime Minister asked her party leaders at a meeting at her official residence Gonobhaban to strengthen the party organisation by completing district coucils and remain beside the people which is most needed now.
She repeated his allegation that BNP chief Khaleda Zia was staging a drama of being confined to her party office though she had not been confined.
