Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on Thursday made an impassioned appeal to the people to return her party to power for a straight fourth term by casting votes in Sunday’s general election.
“Today I’ve appeared before you to ask for votes in favour of the symbol, boat,” she said in a televised address to the nation, her final campaign speech before the January 7 national election to form the country’s 12th parliament. The speech was aired at 7 pm.
“The call has come, it’s time to take the road”, Hasina said quoting from poet Sukanta Bhattacharya’s poem, Udayachal (From the east).
In her over 24 minute speech the prime mister said she is seeking another five-year term in office to make the development sustainable, work for improving people’s living standard and build a developed smart Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty.
Hasina said during her Awami League government’s three consecutive terms (2009-2023) the country has witnessed the continuation of a “democratic trend and stability” in the process of building a people’s welfare-oriented society based on “equality and justice.”
“If we can form the government again by getting your valuable votes we will be able to continue with the implementation of the programmes taken by us,” she said adding that this will give “us an opportunity to further improve your living condition.”
Hasina thanked people of the country for giving her Awami League an opportunity to serve them by voting for the boat symbol in the past.
She also said whatever she has achieved in this long journey “would not have been possible without your support,” she said.
“If I have made any mistakes along the way, my request to you is to look at the matter in the eyes of forgiveness. If I can form the government again, I will get a chance to correct the mistakes. Give me an opportunity to serve you by voting for the 'boat' in the January 7 election,” she said.
She requested the people to keep confidence on her as she considers them as her family.
“Let's all make this Bangladesh a smart Golden Bangla and fulfill the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she appealed to the people.
The PM urged all political parties and institutions that believe in democracy and the rule of law not to pamper and fuel any idiosyncratic ideas that will disrupt the constitutional process of the country.
The ruling party chief said that her party is expecting a free, fair and impartial election on January 7.
In this connection, she said that this is the first time in Bangladesh that the Election Commission has been formed under a law passed by the parliament.
“The Election Commission has been given financial independence. The administration and law enforcement agencies are now placed under the Election Commission,” she said.
The prime minister also said that the EC is conducting the election independently.
“Our government is giving all kinds of support to the Election Commission for conducting fair and peaceful elections,” she said.
She mentioned the Awami League is party of the mass people and whenever it comes to power it ensures economic and social development of the country.
The government has ensured food, safety, health services, housing, education, and employment to the people besides making massive infrastructure development, she said.
Talking about her party’s election manifesto, Hasina mentioned listed 12 priorities for the socio-economic development of the country.
These are:
1. To protect and promote the practice of democratic system at all levels.
2. Making every effort to keep prices within the purchasing power of all.
3. Ensuring employability education and youth employment.
4. Building smart Bangladesh based on modern technology.
5. Mechanization of integrated agricultural system and taking measures to preserve the produce with the aim of increasing production.
6. Development of agricultural products and food processing industries.
7. To create employment opportunities by developing infrastructure and industries up to the village level.
8. To increase efficiency and capacity of bank insurance and financial sector.
9. Making health services affordable to low income people.
10. Ensuring individual and social security by including all in the universal pension system.
11. Making law enforcement agencies efficient in the use of modern technology and ensuring their accountability.
12. Eradication of communalism and all forms of terrorism and militancy.
Briefly describing the overall development of the country in the last 15 years, Hasina said that the growth reached 7.25 percent, per capita income increased 5 times, budget size increased 12 times and the Annual Development Program increased 13 times, GDP size increased 12 times, foreign exchange reserve increased 36 times, export earnings increased 5 times, annual remittance increased 6 times, foreign investment increased 5 times.
Wages of workers increased 9 times, foreign exchange reserve increased 36 times while export earnings increased 5 times, she noted.
She also mentioned that poverty rate declined from 41.51 percent to 18.7 percent while extreme poverty rate reduced by 5 times.
Drinking water coverage increased from 55 percent to 98.8 percent. Sanitary latrines increased from 43.28 percent to 97.32 percent. Infant mortality decreased from 84 per thousand to 21. Maternal mortality decreased from 360 per lakh to 156. The average human lifespan is 72.8 years now.
The prime minister said that power generation capacity increased 8 times in the last 15 years while electricity consumption rate increased from 28 percent to 100 percent. Literacy rate increased to 76.8 percent while 22 times enhancement in technical education.
The grain production increased 4 times, she added.
“We have built Padma Bridge with our own funding. We launched metro rail in Dhaka, constructed elevated expressway, and inaugurated subway construction. We set up the country's first nuclear power plant at Rooppur,” she went on.
She mentioned that the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has been inaugurated.
“We have constructed South Asia's first underground road - 'Bangabandhu Tunnel' in Chattogram. Dhaka-Cox's Bazar rail route has been established with an eye-catching railway station in Cox's Bazar. 'Bangabandhu Satellite-1' has been launched.”
In any economic index, she said, the economy of Bangladesh has excelled in 2023 with a multifold growth compared to 2009. In 2009, the GDP was only 102 billion US dollars. In 2023, the GDP will increase to more than 450 billion US dollars.
The ruling party chief mentioned that during the Awami League government, the total amount of bank loans increased more than 7 times. As of June 2009, there were bad loans of Tk 22,000 crore; which is 10.5 percent of the total loan. At the end of September 2023, there were bad loans of Tk 1.55 lakh crore, which is 9.9 percent of the total disbursed loans.
Referring to critics she said, “It is a pity that they do not present the correct information to the nation. It is their character to mislead people with false information against the country. It seems that these people get frustrated when they see the socio-economic development of the country.”
She said that there is a huge difference between Bangladesh of 15 years ago and today's Bangladesh. People's quality of life has improved. The people today dream a better life.
Turning to her foreign policy Hasina said that Bangladesh wants peace and shuns war.
“We want an end to the wars in Palestine and Ukraine. We want an end to the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Bangladesh is always with the people of Palestine,” she said.