Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked those who are now dreaming of bringing an unelected government to come out of this nightmare.
“Those who are dreaming of an unelected government, please come out of this nightmare. It’ll never happen in life,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina, also the Leader of the House, was delivering her valedictory speech in the 21st session of the current 11th Parliament.
She said some persons have been saying that if an unelected government runs the country for 2-3 years, there would be no harm and it won’t make the Mahabharata incorrect.
The PM also asked the people of the country to be alert against such persons who want to bring an unelected government.
“Do those who say such things really want the welfare of the people of this country? They prioritise personal gains. So, the people of the country will have to be careful and alert against them,” she said.
She said today Bangladesh is internationally recognised as a development model. “But the change of the nation doesn’t come to their notice. It is unfortunate,” she added.
“Now they want to bring an unelected government,” she said, adding that the people of the country witnessed the destruction of trade and business development, hampering the country’s production and creating a frightening situation during the unelected governments in the past.
“Do they want to take the people of the country again to the frightening situation and play ducks and drakes again with the fate of the people,” she asked.
The maiden session of the 2023 calendar year was prorogued after lasting for 25 sittings.
Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury read out the prorogation order of the President on Thursday night.
Earlier, President Md Abdul Hamid delivered his speech at the beginning of the first session of the New Year, which started on January 5.
Later, the House adopted a motion to thank the President after the MPs spoke for 40 hours and 27 minutes, joining the general discussion over the thanksgiving motion.
The PM asked those who are interested to come in power in the name of an unelected government to join politics and go to the people for coming in power by obtaining their votes.
She said the country is progressing thanks to the continuation of democratic trend and government for the last 14 years. “People are benefiting,” she added.
Referring to the recent six parliamentary by-polls and Rangpur City Corporation election, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina said the government has proven that the elections are held in a free, fair and neutral manner.
She said not a single person of Bangladesh could raise any question regarding the recent six parliamentary by-polls.
Noting that these elections were held in a fair, free and neutral manner, she said “Doesn’t it prove that the Election Commission has the capacity to arrange elections staying quite independent and neutral during the regime of Awami League? The AL government doesn’t interfere into it and won’t do as well,”
Enough stock of food for Ramadan:
The PM assured the people that there won’t be any scarcity of essential commodities during the upcoming Ramadan as enough quantity of foods is in the country’s stocks and more items are being imported from different countries.
She said there is no problem for those who do business in a fair way to import the essential items for Ramadan month. There is no barrier to open LCs to import commodities, she added.
“The essential commodities – chickpeas, sugar, edible oil, onion, date, pulse—are enough (in stocks), but we’re still purchasing more (from different countries). ….Still we have a food stock of 19 lakh tonnes,” she said.
Militancy, terrorism to be checked:
Sheikh Hasina said the government made the country as Digital Bangladesh but now information is exchanged through different apps over how to make bombs and conduct militancy.
“How can we curb militancy and terrorism and how will we get their information, if these things can’t be watched,” she asked.
She said many people are now talking against beimg watchful. “But what is the reason? What secret would they say? And it will be a problem if the government hears it,” she said.
The PM said the government does not hear the conversation rather the law enforcement agencies do it to prevent the acts of militancy and terrorism from happening.