Only AL can take nation forward: PM

Sheikh Hasina said Awami League gives people peace and prosperity. Millions of children of poor families are now getting the opportunity of education. Rural people are gettinghealthcare service on their doorstep. Awami League has made the country self-reliant in food production. Purchase capacity of the people was improved during the Awami League regime as income of the people increased, she said. The Prime Minister said people are now enjoying the benefit of digital technology andcellular phone as Awami League made it available for them breaking the monopoly of BNP beneficiaries.

Awami League initiated giving bank loans to co-sharing farmers with the opportunity ofopening bank account with only Taka 10. Awami League government reduced the price of fertilizer three times after taking office in 2009, while BNP shot dead the farmers as they demanded fertilizer, she said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, Naogaon is a memorable place of Bishwa Kobi Rabindranath Tagore. But, the BNP-Jamaat alliance after coming to power made the area a terrain of horror, she said. Pointing out the projects taken by her government for development of Naogoan, she said, Awami League believes in development of the country, so, the party works for the people. If Awami League can come to power again, it will take steps for resolving the crisis of drinking water, she said adding Porsha Degree College would be nationalized.

Criticizing Begum Zia for her stance against all-party poll- time government, the Prime Minister said, "I called on her to negotiate the current political stalemate in the interest of peace in public life. But, she (Begum Zia) did not respond and opted for killing, vandalism and destruction." Seeking support of the people to build a prosperous country as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Prime Minister said, Awami League had liberated the country, and the party would be able to bring economic prosperity for the nation. She said, country's food production and income of people will come down and prices of essentials will shoot up, if BNP comes to power again, multiplying the sufferings of the people.

Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated a bridge on the Atrai River on Amaitara-Agardigun road, Naogaon Textile Vocational Institute, an auditorium-cum community center, district council Dak-bungalow, 50-bed Porsha Upazila Health Complex and Mashidpur Union Parishad Complex. She also laid the foundation stone of upgraded 250-bed Naogaon General Hospital, Battali GC-Chowbaria GC road and the Nochnahar R&H- Somnagar- Barogram-Shibpur GC road and newly built Barinda Senior Fazil Madrasa and some other establishments.