Hasina leaves decision on reform to central working body, council
Sunday, 24 June 2007
Awami League (AL) chief Sheikh Hasina Saturday said the proposed reforms in the party, including her notion of retiring from politics after attaining 60 years, would be placed before the central working committee and council for final approval, reports UNB.
"I've given my proposal. I will also attain 60 years. Now it will depend whether or not others will accept it," she said, adding: "The reforms will be finalised from all levels of the party as Awami League is a party that believes in democracy."
Hasina came up with views while talking to the reporters after placing wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the city's Dhanmondi 32 area in the morning, marking the 58th founding anniversary of Awami League.
Asked about the comment made by a party presidium member on her proposal to limit the age of politicians, the AL chief said situation of Bangladesh could not be understood from Singapore.
"Trees having fruits are always targeted with stones," she said, replying to a query about any government pressure on her party.
Hasina said she spoke in the past to uphold the interest of people and would continue to do so in the future. "It's not for me to see whether one likes it or not."
Mentioning the achievements during the tenure of the previous AL government, she said prices of essentials were then within the purchasing capacity of the people. "During my government, people forgot the words 'monga', hunger and poverty."
She alleged that an attempt is being made to brand the AL leaders as thieves like the BNP leaders who stole billions of taka and amassed huge assets through corruption in the last five years.
Hasina further alleged that some 21,000 AL leaders and activists were killed during the regime of BNP-led four-party alliance.
She said, "The time has come to evaluate everything - what the people got during the nine and half years of Awami League governments and during the remaining periods since 1971."
Replying to a query, Hasina said Khelafat Majlish had entered an agreement to join the Awami League-led grand alliance by accepting secularism. "However, we scrapped the agreement later through discussion as people didn't take it positively."
After placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu, the Awami League leaders, including Sheikh Hasina, offered munajat at 8:00 am.
They also observed one-minute silence to pay homage to Bangabandhu.
AL presidium members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta and Begum Motia Chowdhury, and Acting General Secretary Mukul Bose were, among others, present on the occasion.
"I've given my proposal. I will also attain 60 years. Now it will depend whether or not others will accept it," she said, adding: "The reforms will be finalised from all levels of the party as Awami League is a party that believes in democracy."
Hasina came up with views while talking to the reporters after placing wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the city's Dhanmondi 32 area in the morning, marking the 58th founding anniversary of Awami League.
Asked about the comment made by a party presidium member on her proposal to limit the age of politicians, the AL chief said situation of Bangladesh could not be understood from Singapore.
"Trees having fruits are always targeted with stones," she said, replying to a query about any government pressure on her party.
Hasina said she spoke in the past to uphold the interest of people and would continue to do so in the future. "It's not for me to see whether one likes it or not."
Mentioning the achievements during the tenure of the previous AL government, she said prices of essentials were then within the purchasing capacity of the people. "During my government, people forgot the words 'monga', hunger and poverty."
She alleged that an attempt is being made to brand the AL leaders as thieves like the BNP leaders who stole billions of taka and amassed huge assets through corruption in the last five years.
Hasina further alleged that some 21,000 AL leaders and activists were killed during the regime of BNP-led four-party alliance.
She said, "The time has come to evaluate everything - what the people got during the nine and half years of Awami League governments and during the remaining periods since 1971."
Replying to a query, Hasina said Khelafat Majlish had entered an agreement to join the Awami League-led grand alliance by accepting secularism. "However, we scrapped the agreement later through discussion as people didn't take it positively."
After placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu, the Awami League leaders, including Sheikh Hasina, offered munajat at 8:00 am.
They also observed one-minute silence to pay homage to Bangabandhu.
AL presidium members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta and Begum Motia Chowdhury, and Acting General Secretary Mukul Bose were, among others, present on the occasion.