Give befitting reply to election foiling attempt through votes: PM

Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the countrymen will give a befitting reply with votes to the local and foreign conspiracies being hatched to bring a third party to power to disrupt the January 7 election.

"Various conspiracies are being hatched to foil the polls. Many are also involved internationally. They work to bring the third party to power in Bangladesh---we will give a befitting reply to the conspiracies through the January 7 election," she said.

The AL president said while addressing a grand election rally at Govt Sheikh Mujibur Rahman College ground at Tungipara on Saturday.

"What can the third party do? They can't do any development of the country. You had seen what they did in 2007," she said.

"We will take part in the January 7 election with our party's electoral symbol Boat. Go early to the polling centres to cast vote (for boat) to show the world that we can hold the election in a free, fair and neutral manner," she added.

Sheikh Hasina said she want the 12th parliamentary election to be held peacefully.

The AL chief thanked the Tungipara residents for taking responsibility as she considered their support as her strength.

"I am looking after 300 seats and you people are taking care of me. I want you to vote for me as a candidate," she said, asking, "Will you vote for me?"

The rally replied ‘yes’ by shouting and waving hands.

The prime minister along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana reached the rally venue at 11:15 in the morning and waived the national flag to the rally which turned into a human sea.

Sheikh Hasina said that women and children are being killed in Palestine by bombing the hospitals.

Tarique Zia has done the same thing (here in Bangladesh) to order attacks on ambulances carrying patients, on-duty police personnel and journalists, she said.

Referring to killing a mother and her child in burning by BNP-Jamaat men, the premier said this type of criminal act won't be accepted in Bangladesh.

"If Allah wants and we can come (to power) by winning the next election, it won't be allowed that he (Tarique) will give order to harm and kill the people of our country, staying in London," she said.

If necessary, he would be brought from there (to the country) and given punishment, she added.

The AL chief said they want the peace to continue and the country's development to be strengthened while the BNP-Jamaat clique tried time and again to obstacle it.

"But, they have failed to be successful (in the name of movement). They will also be failed again as they have no public support," she said.

The movement of the BNP-Jamaat is meant to burn people to death, damage public and private properties, and launch arson attacks on vehicles, she further said.

The prime minister said Bangladesh now has the status of a developing country due to the government's efforts made in the last 15 years and is now working to transform it into a developed, prosperous and Smart Bangladesh by 2041.

"Bangladesh will start its journey as a developing nation by 2026. And only the Awami League can take the country towards prosperity," she said.

Terming the BNP as a terrorist party and the Jamaat as an organisation of war criminals, Sheikh Hasina said they cannot take the country forward.

She continued: "They have no sense of duty and patriotism."

They did nothing for the development and welfare of the country and its people rather they unleashed militancy, terrorism, corruption and a culture of killing people, she added.

The AL president said they had made several attempts on her life including a grenade attack on the AL rally to kill her and her front raking party leaders which killed 22 leaders and workers on August 21, 2004.

"But, I am not afraid and didn’t abstain myself from working hard to ensure better and improved life of the countrymen despite repeated attempts on my life," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said she is committed to changing the fate of the countrymen as envisioned by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

AL Presidium Member, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, former Red Crescent Chairman, Sheikh Kabir Hossain, actor Mir Sabbir, and actress Tarin Jahan, among others, also addressed the Tungipara rally.

With Tungipara Upazila AL President Sheikh Abul Bashar Khair in the chair, its General Secretary Md Babul Sheikh conducted the rally.

/KN/