BNP seizes land, Awami League houses landless: Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched a scathing attack on the country’s main political opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) while addressing a mammoth rally on the Circuit House ground in Mymensingh on Saturday (11 March).

In her speech, the prime minister referred to the BNP as the country's so-called opposition, accusing the party of promoting a politics of looting, oppression, and deprivation. She went on to claim that the BNP means deprivation and oppression, while the Awami League means development.

She also alleged that the BNP seizes people's land, while the Awami League builds houses for landless people. The prime minister's comments drew loud cheers from the crowd, demonstrating the support for the ruling party in the region.

The prime minister also criticized the BNP leaders for spreading falsehoods about the Awami League's performance, stating that telling lies, indulging in corruption and looting are their habits.

Awami League Mymensingh district unit and city unit arranged the public rally that turned into a human sea with participation of tens of thousands of the people.

At the outset of the function, the premier opened 73 newly-completed development works and laid the foundation stones of 30 other development works for Mymensingh.

Sheikh Hasina, who is also the president of Awami League, said her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman liberated this country. “So, we will have to build the fortunes of the people of this country, free them from the grip of poverty, provide houses to homeless people, and ensure healthcare and education for them, provide them with an improved life, and reach the benefits of the independence to every house,” she said.

She said a BNP leader sits before a microphone the whole day and says that Awami League has destroyed Bangladesh.

Noting that she inaugurated a total of 103 projects on Saturday, the PM asked the people of Mymensingh if these are examples of destruction. “Why (BNP) do they lie so much? In fact, lying is their profession. They say we could do nothing,” she said.

In an oblique reference to BNP leader Tarique Rahman, the premier said now anyone can speak and do politics staying far away due to the transformation of the country into Digital Bangladesh.

She said her government raised the electricity generation to 24,000 megawatt and reached electricity to every house.

Since her government increased electricity generation and built the country as ‘Digital Bangladesh’, they (BNP leaders) can speak so much through the microphone.

“So, they are making false accusations against us using the tools we have made.  It is their nature. Looting, stealing and corruption are their habits,” she said.

PM Hasina said Bangladesh has got the status of a developing country. “We must maintain this achievement. We have to move forward keeping up this success,” she said.

Explaining the features of smart Bangladesh, the PM said the people, economy, agriculture and health system of the country would be smart. “Every people of Bangladesh will get a better life even staying at the grassroots level. Every villager will get the urban benefits,” she added.

AL general secretary Obaidul Qauder, its presidium members Matia Chowdhury and Abdur Rahman, joint secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, AFM Bahauddin Nasim and Dr Dipu Moni, organising secretaries Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, Mirza Azam and Ahmed Hossain also spoke on the occasion.

Since morning the enthusiastic people swarmed into the rally with colorful banners and festoons and chanting slogans.

Following the public rally of the prime minister, the entire Mymensingh turned into a city of jubilation with colorful gates, banners, posters and festoons.

The PM arrived here at the same venue at 2:50pm. She also came to the same venue five years ago to address a public rally in 2018.