Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Saturday that various incidents like changing constitution happened through martial law ordinances. The military junta captured everything from the judiciary to Parliament.She said the retirement age of the judges of the higher court was extended to 65 from 62. “But the judges were removed from their post after reducing their age limit to 62 again from 65 during the military rule of Zia,” she said, adding such incidents happened time and again.
Sheikh Hasina said even judges were removed from their post through martial law ordinances when they were conducting court. “A judge was given an ambassador job abroad at that time.”
Sheikh Hasina was addressing a joint meeting of the party’s Advisory Council and Central Working Committee at her official Ganabhaban residence here yesterday evening. The PM’s address has been widely covered in different newspapers newsagencies and the media.
The prime minister said the job of 10 judges who were appointed by the Awami League government was not confirmed by the BNP-Jamaat nexus when it came to power in 2001.
Sheikh Hasina said the self-confessed killers of Bangabandhu were put on state power by Khaleda Zia through 15th February election, while she handed over the national flag that was earned through the blood of millions of martyrs to war criminals by making them ministers.
She said the military dictators and Khaleda Zia had taken corruption as a policy and created an elite class to cling to power.
The prime minister said Khaleda Zia wanted to cling to power by making her party man as the caretaker government chief and preparing a fake voter list with 1.23 crore voters.
She said the politics of killing, coup and conspiracy began in the country after overthrowing the elected government in 1975. Through it the playing ducks and drakes with the voting rights of the people also started in the country, she said.
The prime minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman presented the constitution within nine months of the country’s independence and the national elections were held in 1973 on its basis.
In this connection, she mentioned the holding of farcical “yes-no” vote and Presidential election by military dictator Ziaur Rahman. General Zia contested the election by violating army act and constitution, she said.
She said General Zia formed a political party after capturing state power and he destroyed democratic process to cling to power.
“Running the country through martial law was introduced and playing ducks and drakes with the voting rights of the people were initiated at that time … from that time we saw how the game was played with election time and again,” she said.
The prime minister said General Ershad made same things after grabbing power. “We restored the democratic rights of the people through a long struggle. But Khaleda Zia disrupted it after coming to power and she staged voter-less polls on Feb 15 in 1996,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the people of the country didn’t accept the 15th February election and Khaleda Zia was forced to resign within one and half months as the people waged a movement against it.
Referring to mindless violence and atrocities unleashed by the BNP-Jamaat nexus in 2013 and 2014 to foil elections, the Awami League president said the people put up resistance against the destructive acts of the BNP-Jamaat clique at that time.
Renewing her vow to further strengthen the foundation of democracy, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Awami League wants that the next general election is held in a free and impartial manner.
Sheikh Hasina hoped that Bangladesh would certainly be a middle-income country by the year 2021 and a developed and prosperous one by 2041.
She said the Padma Bridge is now visible and it’s a great achievement of the present government. – GW News Desk
