5265
Published on March 3, 2018Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her firm optimism of Awami League' s victory in the next election and the development spree will continue through it.
"Insha Allah the 'boat' (AL's election symbol) will be victorious and the development spree of the country will keep on," she told a mammoth public rally here this afternoon.
Sheikh Hasina added: "We will build a poverty-and hunger-free Bangladesh by elevating its status as a middle-income country by 20121 and a developed one by 2041."
Awami League's Khulna city and district units arranged the rally at the local Circuit House Maidan with its district unit president Sheikh Md Harun- or-Rashid in the chair. AL Joint Secretaries Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Organizing Secretary BM Mozammel Haque, Sheikh Helal Uddin, MP, and former mayor of Khulna Talukdar Abdul Kahleq spoke at the rally, among others.
Sheikh Hasina also the Awami League president said the country witnessed development campaign over the past nine years as the people gave the mandate to Awami League while she urged them to give their verdict so the party could retain the responsibility to keep up the spree.
"Do you want to keep up the continuation of development in the country? If you want it then you will have to give the vote to the Awami League," she said while the mammoth crowd raised their hands in a gesture of their supports with huge applause.
The premier said her government aimed to advance and develop the country further.
"The people achieved independence and rights to speak in the mother language by casting vote for Awami League," she said.
The prime minister also reiterated firm stance against corruption alongside terrorism and militancy saying that the criminals and corrupts were destined to exposed to justice as the government meant rule of law.
"We've earned independence through the liberation war and we've tried war criminals and Bangabandhu's killers . . . the criminals and corrupts whoever might be must be punished (as well)," she asserted.
The premier said Khaleda Zia has committed corruption that led her to prison in line with a court verdict while "the Awami League and the government have nothing to do in this regard".
But she said the past government under Khaleda's premiership witnessed unbridled terrorism, militancy and corruption.
The premier particularly recalled that during that period the BNP-Jamaat nexus Khulna turned Khulna into a "sanctuary" of terrorism and militancy.
She said AL leader Majurul Imam in Khulna was killed by BNP-Jamaat terrorists who also did not spare the journalists as Humayun Kabir Balu, Manik Saha and Harun-or-Rashid were exposed to their wraths.
The prime minister said the Khulna is now a city of peace as the government has curbed terrorism and militancy with iron hands while she sought cooperation of the people so terrorism and militancy never raise their head.
The Awami League chief also urged the cross section of people including parents, guardians, teachers, public representatives and religious leaders so their children did not indulge in terrorism, militancy and addict in drugs.
"I would like to call upon you to look into that where they (children) go and with whom they develop relations and whether they remain absent in the class," she said.
The premier said this vigilance was required "so that the life of the children is not spoilt and you don't suffer . . . our law enforcement agencies and the administration will assist you in this regard".
The prime minister pointed out the BNP's mindless violence and rampage in 2013, 2014 and 2015 to overthrow the government and foil the January 5, 2014 elections, saying that the BNP doesn't know to create anything and "the party only knows destruction".
"The BNP leader ate Biriyani in her office and burnt the people outside during the so-called movement," she said. Sheikh Hasina said the BNP-Jamaat clique killed over 500 people including 7/8 police members and crippled 3500 people by pouring petrol.
Highlighting her government's strides for development of Khulna region, the premier said her government wants to develop and make prosperous of the region.
"Our aim is development of the region by establishing new mills and factories and reopening closed down ones. On the other hand, the BNP took a stance against development of the region as it shut down the mills and factories here," she said.
The premier said her previous government in 1996 constructed the Rupsha Bridge and "our present government is implementing a project to construct railline up to Mongla port via Khulna".
Sheikh Hasina announced the piped line gas will be supplied to Barisal and Khulna from Bhola gas fields.
The prime minister said her government has taken steps to set up 100 economic zones across the country, including one in Khulna for further industrialization and generating employment.
Earlier, Sheikh Hasina opened 47 development projects and laid the foundation stones of 52 other schemes by unveiling their plaques from the venue.
Photo: Saiful Islam Kallol