Awami League was born to serve people: HPM Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today warned all aspirants of her party in the next general election of the consequences of carrying out propaganda against each other while seeking nomination, saying such bad practice would disqualify them to get party ticket.

Urging her party men to abandon mud sliding against the sitting parliament members or any rival candidate within the party, she said instead, everybody should focus on the development works of the government to woo the voters apart from speaking about the possible danger of returning BNP and their cohorts to power like 2001.

Sheikh Hasina announced that no aspirant engaged in spreading propaganda within the party would get party ticket in the upcoming election.

“Every aspirant should understand that such propaganda against rivals within the party would ultimately ruin votes of the party,” she said.

Addressing a Special Extended Meeting of Bangladesh Awami League at Gonobhaban here today, the premier urged all the party leaders and workers to reach the messages of development of the government to the people.

“People should be informed of our activities we have already done for them and what we would do in the future. Your failure to do this perfectly would be catastrophic for the party and the country as well,” she said.

The Prime Minister asked the lawmakers of the party to be corrected before the time is exhausted and work together with dedicated workers to acquire public support in their constituencies.

“Your ticket would certainly depend on your popularity, services to the people and relation with grassroots workers,” she said.

She also urged the party lawmakers to remain aware of the opportunist elements and notorious criminals who have taken shelter under the umbrella of
the ruling party, saying many of them have come to make their own fortune and safe themselves from justice.

Party should not be a sanctuary for those who are accused of arson attacks or any criminal acts, Sheikh Hasina said, calling upon the lawmakers to leave
them just now as they may commit any occurrence ahead of the next general election.

“Awami League was not founded to help its followers accumulate wealth. The party was born to serve the people. So, lawmakers must be sympathetic to dedicated party workers, not to any opportunists,” she said.

The Prime Minister said her government has done more than its commitment given to the people before the elections in 2009 and 2014. “Awami League
keeps its words that it gives to the people and this message should be reached to the people.”

She said Bangladesh was liberated at the cost of the blood of millions of people who cherished the dream of building a happy and prosperous nation. “We
should be careful so that their dreams don’t go to the edge of destruction again.”

Sheikh Hasina said her government has accomplished the daunting task of the trial of the war criminals and the killers of Bangabandhu. “It’s the duty
of the Awami League leaders and workers to provide all security of witnesses of those cases,” she said.

She announced that her party would again go for an alliance with like-minded parties in the next election. So, Awami League leaders should be ready
for sacrifice, she said. As the biggest and most popular political party, the Prime Minister said, the Awami League has some responsibilities. Leaders and workers of the party should not be allured to make their own fortune, but dedicate at best their lives for the country so that Awami League can form the government again, she said.

“It’s not a matter who has got the nomination. Awami League leaders and workers must work with the candidates who would get party nomination…you
have to go to people to seek vote for boat,” Sheikh Hasina said. General Secretary of Awami League and Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Kader gave introductory speech on the occasion.

Sheikh Hasina said people of Bangladesh are getting everything as they gave vote for Awami League. It was possible to achieve the recognition of the country as a developing one due to pragmatic economic plans of the Awami League government, she said.

“Given the country’s overall development, it’s totally absurd to judge that people would not vote for Awami League. If it really happens, the responsibility will go with you because of your failure to reach the people properly,” she said.

“No government except Awami League could take forward the country to an accelerating development path. So, why people would cast vote for another political party responsible for promoting militancy, terrorism, killing, rampage, burning people alive, corruption, plundering orphans’ money and gambling?”

The Prime Minister said that in the coming election, people would spontaneously exercise their franchise. None will be able to win the polls through rigging. She said none will be allowed to play with the voting rights of the people.

Sheikh Hasina said Awami League played the pioneering role in ensuring transparency and accountability in the electoral process. “So we have to remain careful about the fairness of the polls,” she said adding, “We don’t want to take the same blame like BNP in 1996 when they were forced to resign on charge of rigging.”

“We have to come to power with people’s mandate to continue the development works aimed at building a prosperous Bangladesh,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said about 11 lakh Rohingyas have taken shelter in Bangladesh being forced to leave their homeland in Myanmar as it had happened to Bangalees in 1971. Sheikh Rehana has motivated her in giving the Rohingyas shelter though it caused untold suffering to the local people, she said.

The government is working carefully to mitigate the suffering of the local people while giving shelter and support to the Rohingyas, she said.

Congratulating the party leaders and workers on the founding anniversary of the party, the Prime Minister said since its inception the party has been serving the people. Scores of leaders and workers laid their lives for the cause of the people.

Sheikh Hasina said people of Bangladesh are becoming solvent financially due to the steps taken by her government. Their financial condition would be further improved if Awami League remains in power and the pace of development continues, she said.

Not a single people in the country would live without food, shelter, healthcare services and education, she added.

The prime minister said her government has already started preparing a perspective plan for 2021-2041 to chalk out the schemes to make Bangladesh a developed country. But, Bangladesh will be destroyed if BNP and Jamaat come to power. They will destroy all successes of the nation achieved over the last nine years, she said.