Hasina seeks vote for AL to continue dev process

SYLHET, Jan 30 (UNB): Mentioning that the next general election will be held in December next, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinaon Tuesdaysought vote for 'boat', the election symbol of Awami League, to achieve the goal of making Bangladesh a developed and prosperous country.

"Awami League means development...Bangladesh will be developed and prosperous. The people of Bangladesh, both at home and abroad, will move forward with dignity in the global arena. It's our goal. To achieve the goal, we want vote for 'boat' in the next election to be held in December next," she said.

The Awami League president sought the vote while addressing a public rally, arranged by district Awami League, at Sylhet Alia Madrasa Ground in the afternoon.

She urged voters to remain alert against terrorism, militancy and corruption. "There is no room for terrorism, militancy and corruption on Bangladesh soil."

Noting that the 'boat' symbol brought the country's independence and showed the path of prosperity, she said the boat is taking Bangladesh towards the path of development.

As in the past, the AL president launched her party's campaign from Sylhet for the 11th national polls.

Earlier, the Prime Minister offered fateha at the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA), Hazrat Shah Paran (RA) and Hazrat Gazi Borhan Uddin (RA) in the city.

She also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of 35 development projects. She opened 18 development projects and laid the foundation stones of 17 others by unveiling their plaques from Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa ground in the afternoon.

The schemes inaugurated by the premier included a prayer room for women at Hazrat Gazi Borhan Uddin (RA) shrine, beatification of the shrine and extension of its main road up to 2 kilometer, a six-storey academic-cum-administrative building of Sylhet Government College, a building for fertilizer testing and research laboratory at Pirijpur, district office of Department of Narcotics Control, Sylhet divisional and district NSI office building, Sylhet Muktijoddha Complex Bhaban, Zakiganj upazila Muktijoddha Complex Bhaban, a 12-storied Nagar Bhaban of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC), a drainage system at Babuchhara, extension of Jalalabad road, Sylhet-Sunamganj bypass road, overlay works of Moulavibazar-Rajnagar-Fenchuganj-Sylhet road, Rashidpur-Bishwanath-Lamakazi road, Sylhet-Golapganj-Charkhai-Zakiganj road, Darbasta-Kanaighat-Shahabagh road and Dhaka (Kanchpur)-Bhairab-Jagadishpur-Sayestaganj-Sylhet-Tamabil-Jaflang road (Sylhet-Sherpur point), pavement construction work at Sherpur toll plaza point on the highway, Sultanpur Union Parishad Complex Bhaban under Zakiganj upazila, Kamalbazar Union Parishad Complex Bhaban under Dakshin Surma upazila, Kanaighat road and a three-storied primary health care centre at Kuituk.

The schemes of which the foundation stones were laid by the premier are a prayer room for women at Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) shrine, construction of Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), construction of Goainghat Upazila Parishad Bhaban and hall room, construction of male and female students' hostels at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College, a 250-bed district hospital in Sylhet, setting up of a nursing hostel inside Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, a SMP Barrack Bhaban on Sylhet Police Lines, construction of an armory on the police lines, construction of a 10-stroied dormitory on the compound of SMP Kotowali Model Police Station, construction of Tamabil Immigration Check Post Bhaban, Range Rivers Force (RRF) Police Lines at Lalbazar in Sylhet, a hostel for visually impaired children, upgrading of Bishwanath Upazila Health Complex to a 50-bed one, divisional director (family planning) and district family planning office buildings of Sylhet, development of a 65-kilomter Sylhet-Gopalganj-Charkhai-Zakiganj highway, development of a 9.6 kilometer Gopalganj-Dhaka-Dakshin Bhadeshwar highway and Charkhai-Shewla-Biranibazar-Baraigram highway and a 10-storied Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.