PM warns AL of tough action for 'creating chaos'

She, however, gave assurance that her government would not create any obstruction in its way if the party holds its programmes in a constitutional and democratic way.

The prime minister issued the warning while addressing a big public meeting at Kushtia Government University College ground organised by the district BNP yesterday.

She said that since Awami League has no issue in hand for movement and hartal, they want to create issues by killing their party-men themselves.

She said the Awami League became unnerved and frustrated witnessing the massive development works being carried out by the present government, and has been going around raving at the government.

She further said the party is "hatching conspiracy" to disturb communal harmony ahead of the Durga Puja.

The prime minister urged the people to remain alert about the conspiracy, and asserted that Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony where people of all faiths are living peacefully.

She said Bangladesh is for Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Buddhists as all have contributed to its independence by fighting shoulder to shoulder during the liberation war following proclamation of independence by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.

She said the Hindu community last year celebrated their Durga Puja peacefully in a secure environment with her government's full cooperation and support.

This time around, the puja will again be celebrated in a bigger way, as her government will provide all out support for smooth celebration of the festival.

Khaleda asserted that all conspiracies against the nation would be washed away in a tide of popular awakening and the flow of development.

Information Minister Tariqul Islam, State Minister for Labour and Employment Amanullah Aman, Prof Shahidul Islam MP and Syed Mehedi Ahmed Rumi MP, among others, addressed the meeting presided over by Principal Suhrabuddin MP.

Criticising the last Awami League government's five-year rule, the prime minister said the party had not done any development work while in power and also wouldn't cooperate with her government in development while in the opposition now.

All know that the Awami League does not care about anything beyond its own interests and only resorts to plundering public wealth, she told her audience, adding that people voted the party out of power for its misdeeds and don't want it back.

People also know that the country's sovereignty is put at stake and the nation is made subservient whenever Awami League comes to power, she said.

"Awami League men have proved themselves liars through their misdeeds and hoax," she told the meeting.

In this context, she mentioned the Awami League leadership's announcement to renounce hartal and then reneging on the promise.

But the BNP chairperson said people know BNP lives up to it words and would continue to do so.

Amid applause from the crowd, the prime minister narrated her two-year old government's various development activities, achievements and programmes to fulfil its election commitments.

Referring to cash incentives for free primary education, she urged guardians of students to avail themselves of the government facilities.

She told them to inform local MPs and others concerned in case of any malpractice in payment of the cash incentive.

Responding to local demands raised by the MPs from the area, the prime minister assured the audience of meeting those demands gradually.

The demands include construction of Kushtia-Haripur connecting bridge, prompt completion of the ongoing construction of bridge over river Garai, rural electrification and upgrading telephone network to digital in four upazilas.