Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday reaffirmed that the next general election would be held as per the parliamentary system of democracy and there would be no deviation in any way. She Urged the opposition to shun the path of violence, “At least for once this trend (parliamentary norm) should have to be introduced in Bangladesh for ensuring the voting rights of the common people as well as maintaining the continuity of democracy …..We’ll do that,” she said.
The Prime Minister was addressing a discussion meeting marking the historic June 7th Six-Point Day at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the afternoon.
The discussion meeting was organised by Bangladesh Awami League (AL) central committee with Deputy Leader of the Jatiya Sangsad and Awami League Presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair.
Mentioning that some 5,645 elections at different tiers were held during the tenure of the present government where BNP-backed candidates also won the polls, the Prime Minister said no one could now say that election cannot be held in a free, fair and credible manner. “All elections in our tenure were held freely and fairly, and no allegation has been raised against any of these polls.”
Hasina also expressed her firm resolve to hold free, fair and credible elections in the country.
About the recent adjourned motion in parliament followed by its withdrawal by the BNP, Hasina said, “The countrymen should know they (BNP) have cheated with the nation by withdrawing the adjourned motion….they themselves have closed the path for discussions.”
The premier alleged that the opposition joined the current parliament session to save their JS seats as they were not present during the presentation of the national budget for FY 14 and also the PM’s question-answer session.
Referring to the 48-hour ultimatum given by the opposition leader in May to oust the government, Hasina quipped that the opposition leader now would have to find her own way to flee the country.
About the mayhem by BNP-Jamaat and also by Hefajat-e-Islam during their Dhaka siege programme on May 5-6, Hasina said there was no killing at the time. “Instead, the activists killed policemen.”
The Prime Minister said there were 70,000 to 80,000 people, mostly madrasah students, during that night of May 6 and they left the place.
“A false campaign was then carried out over the siege programme, and now a fresh propaganda has been launched about the new national budget,” she alleged.
Mentioning that her government has given licenses to more private channels and radios as the government believes in free flow of information, the Prime Minister said that the misuse by the media would not be tolerated.
In this regard, she referred to the media reports and pictures published in a section of media doctoring the photos of Haiti earthquake dead bodies. “The pictures of dead bodies in Georgetown and the picture of a Gilaf of holy Kaba Sharif were used to press for the release of a war criminal.”
“We can’t spare those who can conduct such propaganda…it can’t be,” Hasina warned.
Mentioning that some 18 coups took place during 1975-1981 in the armed forces after the killings of Bangabandhu and the four national leaders, the premier said that then she had felt that the demons of the defeated forces had been running the country.
“The demons of the defeated forces are still there and they don’t want that the people of Bangladesh leave in peace, prosperity and happiness…..plots to deter the democratic process were always there, but the people of Bangladesh stood always against these conspiracies,” she added.
Blasting the so-called intellectuals, reformists, politicians, and the constitution experts who hatched conspiracies to perpetuate the caretaker government system after the 1/11 changeover, the premier said, “Now we hear their different tone…many games were played with the fate of the people of Bangladesh.”
AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, Presidium members Adv Sahara Khatun and Nuh-ul-Alam Lenin, Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Vice Chancellor of the National University Prof Dr Harun-or- Rashid, Labour and Employment Affairs secretary of Awami League Habibur Rahman Siraj and Shimin Hossain Rimi, MP, among others, took part in the discussion.
Central Awami League leader Bahauddin Nasim, President of Awami League Dhaka City unit MA Aziz, General Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, MP, central AL leader Aminul Islam also spoke on the occasion. (Source: UNB)
