Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday reiterated her call to the people to vote for ‘boat’, her Awami League party’s election symbol, in the next general election for their continued wellbeing and further development of the country.
“If only the boat symbol forms the government the next time as well, you will get improvement and the country will witness development,” she told a civic gathering.
The rally was arranged by Mithamoin Upazila Awami League at Mithamoin Helipad ground in the district.
Hasina, also the Awami League president, said whenever BNP or BNP-Jamaat jote came to power, the public sufferings went up. On the other hand, when AL comes to power, the country witnesses an increase in the production of crops, fish, vegetables, she said.
“The people are happy getting food and clothes. The fate of the people has changed,” she said.
She said today’s Bangladesh has turned around and gets dignity in the world arena. “Bangladesh is a role model for development. Bangladesh is marching forward and will do so,” she said.
Noting that the government is now implementing different programmes for the overall development of the haor region, she said if AL returns to office again, the programmes will continue.
“So, I would like to urge you to give us the scope to serve you by making AL victorious through casting votes for the boat symbol also in the next election which will be held in December 2023 or January 2024. It is my appeal to you,” said the PM.
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At this time, she asked the people to raise their hands and promise to vote for the boat. The crowds responded with jubilation.
The PM said taking over power in 1996 after 21 years AL made the country food-sufficient. But then the BNP-Jamaat alliance came to power again and unleashed plundering, money laundering, corruption, militancy, terrorism and killing. They mercilessly tortured AL leaders and activists, she added.
“They had been able to give nothing except repression and exploitation towards the people and will not be able to as well,” she said about the BNP-Jamaat rule.
Noting that BNP was founded in the hands of those who grabbed the power illegally violating the constitution, she said they (BNP leaders) don’t think of the wellbeing of the people and Bangladesh, rather they come to power for looting national wealth.
In an oblique reference to BNP leader Tarique Rahman, she said whenever they came to power they looted the assets of the country’s people. They are leading a lavish life by siphoning the money off the country to the foreign land, she added.
Reminding the people about the arson violence carried out by BNP-Jamaat during the 2013-2015 period, she said they killed the people burning them alive and did not value the human lives.
“Those, who don’t give value to the lives of the people and those who can kill the people burning them alive, create militancy as well as carry out bomb attacks and grenade attacks, can’t do any good the people,” she said.
Turning to the development of the haor development, the premier said the otherwise neglected region witnessed a remarkable change in the last 14 years.
Recalling her visit to Mithamoin in the past, she recalled that there was only water everywhere and no road even fit for rickshaws at that time. “Today those bad days are gone,” she said.
Focusing on her government’s steps to develop Kishoreganj, Sheikh Hasina said her government has been implementing different programmes to change the fate of the neglected communities in the haor area of Kishoreganj.
She said all the roads the government will construct in haor areas from now would be elevated to protect arable land and existing roads. The government is dredging rivers and canals in the haor region to channel water with a view to protect crops from flash flood, she added.
“Today Kishoreganj is no longer a neglected region,” said the PM.
Noting that the goal of her government is to develop the whole country, she said, “We want the inhabitants of every village to enjoy the same facilities as the urban people do.”
AL general secretary Obaidul Quader, its organising secretary Mirza Azam and office secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, local MP Rejwan Ahammad Taufiq, Kishoreganj district council chairman and district AL acting president Advocate Zillur Rahman and its general secretary MA Afzal Hossain spoke at the rally.
Mithamoin Upazila AL president Principal Muhammad Abdul Haque presided over the programme, while its general secretary Samir Kumar Baishnab conducted it.