Vote for the Awami League candidates

Hasina tells Sylhet rally while launching her party's poll campaign

FE Team | Published: December 20, 2023 23:37:01

SYLHET, Dec 20 (UNB): President of Bangladesh Awami League Sheikh Hasina, also the Prime Minister, on Wednesday launched her party's election campaign with a clarion call to the people to vote for the ruling party candidates so they win to serve the common people.
Sheikh Hasina was addressing a huge public rally at Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa Ground organised by local unit of the ruling party.
The huge crowd burst into cheers and raised their hands when Hasina asked them "Will you cast your votes for them (AL candidates)? Let your hand rise and promise me."
She once again attacked opposition BNP branding them as looters, killers, corrupts and embezzlers of orphans' money.
These elements, the PM said, are burning people alive in a bid to thwart the election slated for January 7 next.
She requested all to build resistance against arson terrorism that burns people alive.
The Prime Minister said the BNP-Jamaat clique wants to snatch away people's lives, and they want to foil the polls by preventing people from casting their votes.
"Where do they get such courage? There is a black-sheep sitting in London gives order and some people are here to play with fire. ......their hands will be burnt in that fire," she said.
She was obviously referring to Tariq Rahman, the acting chairman of BNP, who lives in London, UK.
Hasina denounced BNP and Jamaat as a nexus and said they thought the government would cave in to their arson terrorism.
"They thought that with some incidents of arson attacks the government will be fallen. The thing is not that much easy," she said.
The premier said the mass people are getting benefits of the result of Awami League being in the power.
"Our aim is to build poverty-free developed Golden Bangla and for that purpose I am working vigorously," she said.
Hasina mentioned that she has nothing to lose, as she has lost everything including father, mother, brothers and everything.
"The only younger sister of mine and I had survived. Losing everything and depriving my small children from their motherly love I had returned to Bangladesh in 1981 just to fulfill my father's dream which was to build the country with the spirit of the Liberation War," she added.
Meanwhile, on another occasion Sheikh Hasina said BNP-Jamaat alliance has unleashed a reign of terror on the mass people aiming to foil the national election scheduled for January 7 next.
"Casting vote is the constitutional right of the people. No one has the right to resist them and kill people for casting votes," she said.
The premier said this while talking to reporters after performing her ziarat at the mazar of Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet.
She said that no one will accept any militant and terrorist activities in Bangladesh.
"If anyone does this the people of the country one day will throw them out. That is the reality," she said.
The ruling Awami League chief also warned the people who are behind the recent arson attacks in railways.
"There will be no forgiveness at all for those who are involved in arson attacks and killing people. We must take stern actions against them," she warned.
She said although BNP-Jamaat clique wanted to foil the election and stop people from casting their votes in the next elections, the people are in favour of election and casting votes.
"People are not responding towards the strike of BNP. What will they gain through this destructive activities? The mass people will hate them ultimately," she said.
Hasina said whenever Awami League comes in the government it brings welfare for the people.
"In 2009 we formed the government. The people of Bangladesh also elected us in 2014 and 2018," she said.
She said the Awami League government is fulfilling the basic needs of the people one by one.
"Rest of the needs will be fulfilled Inshallah if in January 7 election people of Bangladesh cast their votes for boat symbol and if we can from the government again. We will make the whole Bangladesh developed and prosperous. And no one will be without address, home and land," she said.
She mentioned that the aim of the government is to bring smiles on the faces of poor people for making the country developed and prosperous one, which was the dream of the father of the nation.
"Already we have attained the recognition of developing nation status. It has to be implemented. I know that if our government comes again it will be effective," she said.
Regarding BNP's boycott of the election, Sheikh Hasina said if anyone wants not to participate in the election, that is fine.
"But why are they killing destroying properties? These are the properties of the mass people," she said.
She said uprooting fishplates and setting fire to train are totally terrorist and militant activities.
"And BNP-Jamaat alliance are doing that terrorist and militant activities," she added.
"They called strike on Tuesday, but people of the country did not respond to the call. They must understand that people of the country want the election and cast their votes," she continued.
She said Awami League creates opportunity for the party members that anyone can participate in the election.
"All can be the candidate and work for the election, it is the people who will decide their respective MPs," she added.
She came down heavily on BNP-Jamaat alliance while talking about the tragic death of a mother and her child, which she tried to save from the fire.
In an emotion-choked voice she said, "There is nothing painful than seeing this scene. How can a human being can do this?."
In this connection she questioned what type of politics is this which lead to attack on mass people, police and journalists.
"They have to take their politics to the people, if they respond to their politics they will participate in that," she said.
Creating fear by killing people to foil the election will not work, she said , adding they could not do that in 2013 and 2014.
She said the unscrupulous members of BNP-Jamaat are implementing the orders that they are getting from London.
"This kind of criminal activities will not be accepted by the people of Bangladesh," she warned.