Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday (August 30, 2023) said some major powers of the world want to establish a loyal government in Bangladesh because of importance in its geographical location.
“Actually, due to the geographical location of Bangladesh, some big countries want that there will be a government here (in Bangladesh)which will just lick their feet,” she said.
The premier said this while addressing a discussion on the occasion of National Mourning Day.
Dhaka City Awami League North and South units organised the discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Center.
She alleged that big countries always have their big brotherly attitude.
“If they become friends of anyone then there is no need for any enemy,” she said without mentioning any country’s name.
In this connection she said that Ukraine has been their friend.
“What is the condition of Ukraine today. Women and children there are facing untold miseries. Their country has been demolished for this kind of friendship. That is the reality,” she said.
Hasina, also the president of ruling Awami League, came down on these countries for their unnecessary nose poking in the country’s election.
“There are some countries which are searching democracy all the time,” she said.
In this regard, she said that Awami League always struggled for establishing democracy and voting rights of the people in the country.
Read: Some foreign powers are taking interest in Bangladesh's election to hinder progress: PM Hasina
“Leaders and activists of this party gave their blood to establish democracy. And now, we have to listen from some countries which are searching for democracy and rights for casting votes,” she said.
The PM said that people of the country laid their lives and gave blood to attain independence under the leadership of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“This sacrifice and blood must not go in vain, we will not allow that,” she said.
Talking about BNP’s demand for democracy, sheikh Hasina said she gets surprised when she hears them talking about the democracy.
She said BNP was born through killings, coup and conspiracy, established by the illegal power grabber and its journey began through snatching away people's right for voting and the vote rigging. "So the word democracy does not go with them,” she said.
She also alleged that BNP has some masters who "are saying that democracy has to be established in Bangladesh".
She questioned where were they while Ziaur Rahman ( BNP founder) killed the father of the nation, imposed martial law and grabbed the state power. And when HM Ershad grabbed the power by proclaiming martial law.
Read: Foreign powers can be friends but can’t bring election win: Quader
“At that time we struggled and fought to establish democracy, but did not saw them,” she said.
South and North City Corporation Mayors Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Atiqul Islam, addressed the function.
Dhaka North City Awami League President AKM Bazlur Rahman presided over the discussion while Dhaka South City AL President Abu Ahammed Monnafi spoke at the discussion while its General Secretary Humayun Kabir conducted it.
Dhaka North City AL Vice Presidents, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Sadek Khan,MP, and Abdul Kader Khan, Joint General Secretary Motiur Rahman Moti, Organising Secretaries AKM Mazhar Anam and Md Azizul Haque Rana, Family Affairs Secretary Meherunnesa Mery and Dhaka South City Awami League Vice Presidents, Dr Dilip Kumar Roy, Mizbaur Rahman Bhuiyan Ratan and Sajeda Begum, Joint General Secretary Qazi Morshed Kamal, Organising Secretaries Akhter Hossain and Golam Sarwar Kabir, among others, also spoke at the discussion.
At the outset of the meeting, one minute silence was observed to show respect to the martyrs of the August 15, 1975 carnage and August 21,2004 grenade attack.
Read more: No concern among US businessmen about upcoming elections: Salman F Rahman