Govt wants to ensure change of power through ballot: PM

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Thursday said her government wants to ensure that power comes through ballot, not bullet for the sake of democracy as well as peace and tranquility in the country, reports BSS.
Referring to the formation of JS special committee to chalk out a constitutional amendment proposal, she called upon the main opposition BNP to send its nomination to the committee constituted in the light of the verdict given by the apex court of the country for bringing amendments to the constitution.
"The government will reconstitute the committee whenever BNP would propose its name," she added.
On BNP's abstention from the House, she reiterated her call upon the opposition BNP to join the next parliament session and speak for the people in the greater national interest.
The Prime Minister made the call while giving her valedictory speech in the Jatiya Sangsad as the Leader of the House.
Criticising BNP for its long absence in the House, she said the main opposition remains out of the parliament as it does not have any respect to democracy, election as well as the court verdict.
"We can't understand why the opposition BNP abstains from the parliament session although they have been given enough time to speak in the House," she said adding that BNP's excuse to justify their absence from the House is lame and not acceptable.
Regarding hartal enforced by the main opposition BNP on June 27, Sheikh Hasina said the party burnt people to death by calling unnecessary hartal. "My government will not accept any barbaric act of killing people in the name of issueless hartal anymore,"
she asserted.
The Prime Minister said BNP could not give anything positive to the people during its tenure without corruption, looting, terrorism and militancy.
In this context, she said her present government after coming to power in the last general election raised the country's economic progress to six per cent despite the worldwide economic recession.
Apart from this, she said, we have reduced the price hike of essentials, raised foreign currency reserve and brought down the inflation rate. She said her government has been able to implement 91 per cent of Annual Development Programme (ADP) and hoped that the implementation rate would be raised to cent per cent in future.
The Prime Minister in her nearly 45 minutes speech also highlighted her government's plans and programmes to build a happy and prosperous Bangladesh and also criticised the opposition for its past role when it was in power including accumulating huge money through corruption.
UNB adds: Mentioning her government's firm stance against terrorism and militancy, the Prime Minister said that the drive against terrorists and militants would continue to ensure social security and peace. "It would not be acceptable if any quarter patronises the terrorists," she added.
She said her government is working relentlessly to turn Bangladesh into a peaceful country in South Asia through preventing terrorism and militancy.
Hasina criticised the opposition leader Khaldea Zia for presenting her shadow budget outside the Parliament. "I'm not sure why she gave it in a five-star hotel," she said.
She alleged that the opposition leader doesn't want the development of the country and that's why she threatened the government officials.
"The government officials do not belong to any party, they work for whoever forms the government," she said.
The Prime Minister again criticised the "whitening of black money" by the opposition leader, her sons and the former finance minister.
"Why did you do this? If you don't have back money why pay fine to the NBR to whiten your money?" she said.
Mentioning that her government assumed office amid so many problems like power and gas crisis, and BDR mutiny, Hasina said.
She alleged that the opposition leader was in hiding for three days during the BDR incidents. "Where have you been?" she asked.
She said that the government is committed to try the culprits involved in the BDR carnage. "And we will fulfill our commitment."
About the BNP's "demand" for coming to Parliament in lieu of withdrawal of the government notice over Khaleda's cantonment residence, the Prime Minister said that after the death of Zia the then government took the decision in the cabinet to provide one house for her.
"You chose the Gulshan house. Now why are you occupying the cantonment house?"
Another UNB report adds: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Thursday said "Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim" will remain as it was at the preamble of the country's Constitution.
The BNP-Jamaat alliance "as in the past will try to misguide people" in the name of Islam, she was quoted by a source as saying at a meeting of the Awami League Parliamentary Party (ALPP) at the treasury bench conference room of Parliament Thursday night.
Hasina urged the MPs and party leaders and workers as well as the people to remain alert against the "vested quarter's politics in the name of Islam, the religion of peace."
Asked if there was any discussion on the much-talked-about "Bismillah" in the constitution, the AL lawmaker said Prime Minister Hasina has vowed to uphold dignity and spirit of all religions.