None has the right to dissuade people from voting: PM

Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said voting is the constitutional right of the people, adding that no one has the right to resist them from casting votes.

"Vote is the people's constitutional right, and people will cast their votes. None has the right to dissuade people from casting votes and kill them," she said while talking to reporters after offering Ziarat at Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) Mazar in Sylhet. 

The prime minister said BNP-Jamaat alliance unleashed the reign of terrorism to foil the national election slated for January 7 next, adding that no none will accept any sort of militant and terrorist activities in Bangladesh.

She said, "If anyone does this, one day the people of the country will throw them out. That is the reality." 

The ruling party chief also cautioned against the persons who are behind the recent arson attacks on railways, saying that no mercy will be shown to those involved in arson attacks and killing people. 

"We must take stern actions against them," Sheikh Hasina said. 

Although the BNP-Jamaat clique wanted to foil the election and to discourage people from casting votes in the next elections, she said, "But people are in favour of election and votes". 

Observing that people aren't responding towards the strike of BNP, she said what will they gain through this destructive activities, rather mass people will hate them ultimately.

The premier said whenever Awami League comes to the government it brings welfare for the people, and added the Awami League government is fulfilling the basic needs of the people one by one.

"If people cast their votes for 'Boat' (AL symbol) on January 7 election and if we can form the government again, the remaining needs of the people will also be fulfilled InshaAllah," she vowed. 

She went on saying, "We will make the whole Bangladesh developed and prosperous. And no people will be address-less, homeless and landless."

She continued that their aim is to bring smile on the faces of the poor people and make the country developed and prosperous as dreamt by the Father of the Nation. 

The head of the government said that Bangladesh has already attained the status of a developing nation. 

"I know that if our government comes to power again, it will be effective," she said. 

About polls boycott of BNP, the AL president said that if anyone doesn’t want to participate in the election, that is fine, "but, why will the people be killed through arson attacks".

She said that uprooting rail line fishplates and setting fire to rail compartments are terrorist and militant activities as government properties are the properties of the mass people. 

"And BNP-Jamaat alliance are doing that terrorist and militant activities," she said, mentioning that it is the character of BNP to burn people alive.

"What type of anti-government movement is that?" she questioned.

Sheikh Hasina heavily came down on BNP-Jamaat alliance over the tragic death of a child and her mother who tried to save her baby from the fire in the train. 

In her emotionally choked voice, she said, "Nothing can be as painful as this scene. How can a human being do this?"

She also questioned what type of politics is this which leads to attacks on mass people, police and journalists.