Only Awami League can change the fortune of the people: HPM Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina today urged her party leaders and workers to make the party stronger by increasing its popularity at the grassroots level as no party other than Awami League can change the fortune of the people.

“Awami League is the only party in the country which can change the lot of the people. So, the party must be made stronger, reinforcing its popularity among the rural people,” she told AL grassroots leaders, seeking support to build Bangladesh as a country dreamt by Father of the Nation.

She urged the party leaders to highlight before the people the development projects and programs taken by the government over the years for their welfare.

She also sought their support for effective functioning of the community clinics and school feeding programs to allow people to get a better life.

Addressing a special extended meeting of Bangladesh Awami League at Ganobhaban here today, Sheikh Hasina termed the party her family and said, “I want to make the country prosperous though fulfilling the dream of the Father of the Nation, and you can be the architect of shaping the dream.”

The extended meeting is being held in the second phase participated by grassroots level leaders of the party from Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barisal. The first phase was held on June 23, 2018. The next phase meeting of the grassroots level will be held on July 7, 2018.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader gave welcome address while Publicity Secretary of the party Dr. Hasan Mahmud and Deputy Publicity Secretary Aminul Islam conducted the meeting.

Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap placed references of condolence after the proceedings of the meeting began with recitation from holy books of various communities.

One minute silence was observed in memory of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his family members killed on August 15, 1975, four national leaders, martyrs of different political movements, deceased Awami League leaders across the country as well as noted personalities at home and abroad.

The prime minister urged the aspirants of next general election for shunning all conflicts and propaganda against one another and work together to ensure victory of the ‘Boat’ in the next general election, whoever gets the party ticket in their constituency.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh’s economy is now strong enough to implement 90 percent of its annual budget from its own resources. Needs of every district, upazila and union were given priority while preparing the annual budget, she said.

The prime minister said Bangladesh is now on the road of prosperity which has been possible for her government’s relentless and sincere efforts to take forward the country to the specific goal.

“Our politics always revolve round the only dream to free the rural people from poverty and provide them with a prosperous life,” she added.

Sheikh Hasina said the people of Bangladesh had been deprived of development since 1975 as the anti-liberation force usurped power after Bangabandhu’s killing. Ziaur Rahman had grabbed the state power illegally as a military dictator and formed BNP, she added.

“A political party formed by an illegal military dictator is also illegal,” she said, adding that after Zia another military dictator captured power, following his footprint and played the same game of Ziaur Rahman.

The prime minister said the people of Bangladesh could realize the necessity of a government only after Awami League came to power in 1996. They found the government to serve them and bring welfare for them.

She urged the party leaders and workers to extend their support to the government in the drive against drugs.

She thanked the leaders for their role in mobilizing public support against militancy and terrorism and hoped that they would also come up with similar supports to curb the menace of drug in society.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has completed the trial of the Bangabandhu Murder case and brought many war criminals to the book, making the notion false that the government would not be able to touch them.

“The trial of the war criminals manifested that people are the main power to determine the political course. Overwhelming support of the grassroots workers of Awami League and common masses are her main strength to bring the war criminal to the court of justice, “she said.

Noting that the development of the people is the prime and foremost priority of her government, the prime minister said not a single family in the country will remain without home and live in poverty.

Sheikh Hasina said her government had to overcome many hurdles over the last five years to bring the country to the current stage. The government had to face fierce opposition to continue democracy.

In this regard, she mentioned about the violent movement of BNP in 2004 and expressed her surprise – how a political party could unleash such violent activities and burn people alive in the name of political movement.

People paid heavily throughout the whole tenure of BNP from 2001 to 2006 as they concentrated their tortures and intimidations on Awami League, minorities, women and children, she said, adding that their misrule pushed the country towards declaring state-of-emergency. BNP has no vision or objective for the country’s development. Their only goal is to make their own fortune, the prime minister said.

Sheikh Hasina 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 in vein,” she said.

The prime minister said no government except ones led by Awami League could take forward the country to an accelerating development path.

“So, you have to work to make people aware so that they don’t cast votes for a political party responsible for promoting militants, terrorists, killing and corruption,” she said.