BNP against healthy democracy
Hasina tells N'ganj AL leaders
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday alleged that the main opposition BNP was against the continuation of democracy in the country as it wanted to create pressure by flexing its muscles.
“They (BNP) don't want continuation of a healthy democratic process in the country,” she said at a view exchange meeting with the grassroots leaders of the Awami League (AL) from Narayanganj at her official residence Gono Bhaban.
She said the BNP always wanted to create pressure through flexing its muscles which was against the norms of democracy.
Referring to the recent indecent remarks of some opposition MPs, she said behaving like this in the House is just a shame for all. “A gentle lady can't utter such words… I can't imagine that,” she said.
Pointing to some recent “un-parliamentary” moves by the opposition MPs in the House, she said they (BNP) always wanted to do things by using force.
She also criticised the “hectic efforts of the opposition” to stop the trial of war criminals. “The trial process has started and it'll be completed.”
Hasina further alleged that the BNP never worked for the welfare of the country and it was now crystal clear why the BNP wanted to protect the war criminals. “Khaleej Times has made it clear,” she said.
The premier said the AL always worked for the country. “We work for the country and its people, it's in our nature.”
Hasina said the country had to be saved from all odd things and it was the sacred duty of the present government to ensure that the job was done.
About the development programmes taken up by her government, she said the government wanted to develop the country by 2021.
She mentioned that the masses were the main strength of the government and the politics of the AL was just for people. “We want to make people self-dependent,” she said.
Hasina said the government was working with utmost sincerity to strengthen democratic institutions as the desired development of a nation was not possible without true democracy.
In the absence of uninterrupted democratic rule after 1975, she said, the fruits of independence could not be taken to the common people even after 40 years of independence.
Hasina said the country had attained self-sufficiency in food due to some practical steps by her government. “It has added some 3,300 megawatt of electricity to the national grid and expanded various social safety net programmes during the last three years.”
As a result, she said, poverty has got reduced by 10 percent.
Hasina said the government in line with its election pledges ensured food for all by selling foodgrains through Fair Price Card and OMS programmes. Besides, ultra poor people were provided with free foodgrains during the month of Ramadan.
Terming education as the main prerequisite to development, the premier said her government was distributing free textbooks up to secondary level and introduced locally-managed school feeding programmes to check dropout.
Referring to the triumph at the maritime boundary demarcation case against Myanmar, she said her government had settled the land boundary disputes with India and she expressed the hope that Bangladesh would also win the sea boundary demarcation case with India.
Hasina asked the leaders and workers of Narayanganj district Awami League (AL) to strengthen the party at the grassroots level and work together to foil any conspiracy of the vested groups.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments