We've never claimed full success: Ashraf
Saturday, 9 January 2010
Syed Ashraful Islam, Awami League (AL) general secretary and LGRD minister, believes everything did not glitter in the first year of the government, but said the people are satisfied and have faith in it.
"We have never claimed that we have succeeded completely in all fields. There are areas we have faltered. We will keep trying," he told reporters in the city Friday, reports bdnews24.com.
He did not elaborate on success of the government.
He, however, said, "We have succeeded in bringing down commodity prices. We are trying to keep the prices within the reach of the people. We are trying our best to keep the dishonest traders at bay and have succeeded to an extent."
"An overall analysis of the evaluation of a survey shows that majority of the people has expressed satisfaction at the government's activities in the year. We have successfully ruled the country," he said quoting the results of a recent survey published in a national daily Tuesday.
The minister said that the government had its own survey and it came close to what was credited by the daily, which he did not name.
He avoided giving direct answer to queries about AL's electoral pledge of making public the assets and sources of income of the PM, Cabinet members and members of parliament (MPs) and their family members every year.
He said, "The reports of our assets have been given to the Election Commission (EC). If the EC wishes it can publish those. We are giving tax every year."
Mr Ashraf said his government does not believe in communalism and has strong resolution to stop communal violence.
The minister urged the opposition to return to parliament. "I am urging you on behalf of Awami League to come back to parliament. The people of Bangladesh are not supporting your boycott. We hope the opposition will join parliament in current session."
He criticised the opposition stand saying, "They at first demanded front row seats in parliament, then they demanded withdrawal of house eviction notice (on Khaleda Zia); after that they raised issues of her sons (Tarique and Arafat) and finally it was about the cases (against BNP leaders). Cases are court issues, not our concern."
"They (BNP MPs) are attending meetings of standing committees, visiting foreign countries and even drawing their salaries as MPs."
"Aren't they lobbying for duty-free cars to the government? Only they are not coming to parliament sessions."
When his attention was drawn to political analyses that said there was no qualitative change in politics and it had gone back to the state of pre 1/11 era Mr Ashraf said, "They are trying to cloud the situation to bring around another 1/11. They had once talked about a national government."
"We have never claimed that we have succeeded completely in all fields. There are areas we have faltered. We will keep trying," he told reporters in the city Friday, reports bdnews24.com.
He did not elaborate on success of the government.
He, however, said, "We have succeeded in bringing down commodity prices. We are trying to keep the prices within the reach of the people. We are trying our best to keep the dishonest traders at bay and have succeeded to an extent."
"An overall analysis of the evaluation of a survey shows that majority of the people has expressed satisfaction at the government's activities in the year. We have successfully ruled the country," he said quoting the results of a recent survey published in a national daily Tuesday.
The minister said that the government had its own survey and it came close to what was credited by the daily, which he did not name.
He avoided giving direct answer to queries about AL's electoral pledge of making public the assets and sources of income of the PM, Cabinet members and members of parliament (MPs) and their family members every year.
He said, "The reports of our assets have been given to the Election Commission (EC). If the EC wishes it can publish those. We are giving tax every year."
Mr Ashraf said his government does not believe in communalism and has strong resolution to stop communal violence.
The minister urged the opposition to return to parliament. "I am urging you on behalf of Awami League to come back to parliament. The people of Bangladesh are not supporting your boycott. We hope the opposition will join parliament in current session."
He criticised the opposition stand saying, "They at first demanded front row seats in parliament, then they demanded withdrawal of house eviction notice (on Khaleda Zia); after that they raised issues of her sons (Tarique and Arafat) and finally it was about the cases (against BNP leaders). Cases are court issues, not our concern."
"They (BNP MPs) are attending meetings of standing committees, visiting foreign countries and even drawing their salaries as MPs."
"Aren't they lobbying for duty-free cars to the government? Only they are not coming to parliament sessions."
When his attention was drawn to political analyses that said there was no qualitative change in politics and it had gone back to the state of pre 1/11 era Mr Ashraf said, "They are trying to cloud the situation to bring around another 1/11. They had once talked about a national government."