Bangladesh will be a middle income country well before 2021: PM Sheikh Hasina

In an oblique reference to the recent violent politics of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, she said Bangladesh would become a middle income country much ahead of 2021 if the 'lady' and her son refrain from politics of destruction and terrorism," she told a public meeting here this afternoon.

"I can firmly say that none will be able to push Bangladesh backward," she said adding, "We come to power to take country towards development and prosperity and welfare of the people."

Sheikh Hasina said her government doesn't see the development of Borga separately. Bogra is part of the country and development of the area would continue at the same of pace of uplift of other parts of the country, she said.

Borga district unit of Awami League (AL) organized the mammoth public meeting marking the visit of the prime minister to the district. Altafunnesa Playground, the venue of the meeting, turned into a human sea while crowd overflowed the adjacent roads and areas marking the visit of Sheikh Hasina to the northern town after 11 years.

Chaired by Mamtazuddin Ahmed, district AL president, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, State Minister for Public Administration Ismat Ara Sadique, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, former Rajshahi mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, AL Organizing Secretaries Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan and Khalid Mahmood Chowdhury, Pankaj Devnath, President of US chapter of AL Dr Siddikur Rahman, Habibur Rahman, MP, and Abdul Mannan, MP.

The prime minister said people had never been deprived of benefits by giving vote to 'boat' (election symbol of Awami League). People always get something when the party comes to power and people of the country earned independence and development by giving vote to boat, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said North Bengal was once very neglected and it was known as a region of 'Monga' (dearth of food and job). Over the last seven years there was no Monga in the area. Monga has gone to oblivion as the Awami League government has stamped out Monga by ensuring food security for the people through increasing food production and distributing food to the poor for free.

The Prime Minister said Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Zia are behind all recent subversive activities in the country. Tarique Zia left the country after giving a bond to the past caretaker government that he would never be involved in politics.

"His mother joined him after killing scores of innocent people in the name of politics. The duo is now engaged in killing of foreigners to tarnish the image of the country," she said adding that they are again out to turn Bangladesh into a country of terrorists and militants.

Sheikh Hasaina said people would never allow Bangladesh to be a terrorist country. They don't believe in terrorism. Despite all conspiracy, Bangladesh would be a peaceful nation in South Asia, she added.

Urging people to remain careful about the conspiracy, the prime minister said Islam is a religion of peace. So people of Bangladesh can never create an unstable situation. So people must remain conscious about the persons who are trying to make Bangladesh a place of terror.

Pointing the unruly activities of BNP activists over the last few years in Bogra, the prime minister said they had tried to burn alive the whole family of local Awami League president by setting fire. Neighbours saved their lives bringing them down from the upstairs with ladder, she said adding they even didn't spare Bogra from their vengeance.

In the name of foiling the general election in 2014, BNP enforced hartal for 34 days and burnt people and set fire on places of worships, schools and burnt copies of the holy Quran. They killed 26 people including the election officials on the election day. BNP could give nothing to the people of the country except killing and politics of vengeance.

The prime minister said BNP could not foil the election as people went to polling centers braving the threat of BNP and its cohorts. "If a political leader makes a wrong decision, his/her party men have to suffer for this," Sheikh Hasina said adding that by boycotting the election Khaleda Zia had made a wrong decision. But she would remain forever a 'killer' to the people for the crime she and her son committed in the name of thwarting the poll, the prime minister said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has attached utmost importance to development of education as the country cannot develop without educated leadership. "We have experience of uneducated and unqualified leadership," she said.

The prime minister said her government has been working relentlessly for country's development since assuming office. The country is going ahead and income of every people has been increased. Youths and women are getting support from the government to arrange their own employment and steps were taken to help every family to live in economic comfort.

Besides, the country has entered the age of digital technology during the era of Awami League. The party's policy helped people get access to modern technology, mobile phone, computer, laptop and others, she said.

Pointing out the steps taken by her government for development of Bogra, the prime minister said the Awami League had taken a project to construct a university in Borga during its first term in 1996-2001. But BNP government after taking office in 2001 suspended the project. She assured the people of Bogra to restart the construction of the university.

She said a modern silo has been constructed at Santahar. An economic zone would also be developed in Bogra to create employment opportunity for the youth and economic development of the area, she said.

The prime minister said her government is working for development of every village. The government has initiated a project namely "Palli Janapad" for construction of flats for rural people. It will help the common people of rural areas to live with civic amenities, she said adding that the project would be implemented across the country in phases.