PM hopeful of AL's win in next polls

Asks opposition not to confuse people thru' propaganda

20 September 2013, 18:50 PM

UPDATED 21 September 2013, 02:24 AM

Staff Correspondent

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday firmly said people would again vote Awami League to power as they want peace and development in the country, not terrorism, militancy, corruption and money laundering. She was addressing a meeting with her party's grassroots leaders of seven organisational districts. The meeting was held to pick prospective candidates for the next parliamentary elections. Presidents and general secretaries of Comilla North, Comilla South, Chittagong North, Chittagong South, Chittagong Metropolitan, Pabna and Rangpur district units of AL and all its thana, upazila and municipality units were present in the meeting. The premier said, "People will surely vote for Awami League for their welfare, peace and development. Only Awami League can ensure these." Hasina, also the AL president, urged people not to be confused by BNP-Jamaat propaganda and falsehood against the government. She said a section of women with holy Quran in their hands were misleading rural women saying imams had been killed and no prayers would be held in mosques if AL assumed office again. "Those are blatant lies in the name of Islam," said the premier. She directed her party grassroots leaders to work to remove the confusion from people's minds and seek votes highlighting government's success. People would vote for AL, as it has implemented massive development activities and increased the per capita income, rate of literacy and employment opportunities, she added. On the other hand, she continued, the last BNP-Jamaat government had resorted to terrorism, militancy, bomb blasts and tortured and killed opposition leaders and religious minorities creating a reign of terror. Besides, people had been killed during the tenures of BNP government when they wanted electricity and fertiliser, she said, adding that if BNP-Jamaat came to power, they would bring back the past. Hasina said the present government increased power and gas production and reduced fertiliser prices. Now farmers do not need to look for fertiliser as it is available to them. "None but the Awami League works for the welfare of the country and its people," the AL chief claimed, adding that the BNP did not care for public interest other than that of their own. She said, "Only those who sacrifice and endure sufferings have passion for the country, not the ones that captured power all on a sudden." At the meeting, grassroots leaders of Rangpur district demanded that Hasina nominate her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy in any of the constituencies of the district for the next parliamentary polls, meeting sources said. They informed the premier that AL's position in Rangpur was good and there was no need to form coalition with HM Ershad's Jatiya Party (JP) to win the next elections. In response, Hasina said the grand alliance needed JP to win the polls. Leaders of Chittagong said feuds among the senior leaders of the district needed to be addressed while Comilla leaders suggested nominating only those leaders who maintained close contact with them. AL presidium members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Kazi Zafarullah, Abdul Latif Siddique, Mosharraf Hossain, Nooh-ul-Alam Lenin, Satish Chandra Roy and Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, among others, were present in the meeting. PM UPSET BY ASHRAF'S ABSENCE Sheikh Hasina yesterday expressed deep frustration over party General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam's absence in the grassroots meeting. In the meeting, she asked party's Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif about the whereabouts of Ashraf. As Hanif failed give a satisfactory answer, the PM expressed dissatisfaction on Hanif too. Being angry, Hasina said she would soon hold a special council to appoint a new general secretary of the party. Syed Ashraf, also the LGRD and Cooperatives minister, went to London on August 25 on a three-day vacation over some family affairs. But he returned on September 15, after three weeks. Besides, he hardly appeared in any public meeting after coming back. Hasina was also upset when Ashraf had taken the leave, said AL insiders, adding that the premier told her close associates that at a crucial time like then Ashraf should have stayed in the country. At many party meetings, AL leaders had demanded that Hasina replace Ashraf for what they said his inactiveness in the party.