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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said holding a free, fair and neutral election is the main goal of her government.
“Election is coming and this is the democratic and constitutional right of the people. Protecting this right and holding a free, fair and neutral election is the goal of the government,” she said.
The prime minister said this while delivering her introductory speech at the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) meeting at her official residence Ganabhaban here.
She said that the democratic rights of the people so far have got is the outcome of Awami League’s movement and struggle.
“The free, fair and neutral election is the contribution of Awami League,” she said.
Hasina, also the ruling Awami League chief, said that her party believes in the democratic and constitutional rights of the people.
“Awami League repeatedly came to power getting votes of the people, formed government and developed socioeconomic status of the people,” she said.
Coming down heavily on BNP, she said that whenever people live in peace, BNP becomes active to create anarchy through arson terrorism.
“We have to save people from this unrest and arson terrorism, this is the main task,” she said.
The prime minister mentioned that conspiracy is on by the vested quarters to cripple Bangladesh economically.
“They are conspiring from every side to create unnatural situation in the country through arson terrorism and killing people. We have to advance facing all these odds,” she said.
She requested all to remain vigilant so none can stop the forward march of the country in the coming days.
Hasina called for resisting arson terrorists, militants and corrupted in the soil of Bangladesh like they did in the past.
She said that in 2013-14, it was the people who resisted the arsonists, corrupts and militants.
The PM called for thwarting the conspirators, corrupt people, money launderers, arms smugglers and arson terrorists.
She said that the people of Bangladesh believe in democracy, peace and development.
“It is with this belief that Bangladesh is moving forward at an unstoppable speed and this progress must be continued in the future as well,” said the PM.
She mentioned that people of the country have to decide whether they want militancy, arson, arms smuggling, corrupt people and money embezzlers from orphans, or they want the continuation of development initiated by Awami League.
Referring to Israeli attacks on Palestine, she said that like Israelis, BNP-Jamaat is attacking common people, hospitals and police.
PM Hasina said that the popularity of Awami League has not decreased in the last 15 years, rather people have greater confidence, trust and dependence on it.
Referring to various surveys, the prime minister said that 70 per cent of the people of the country have confidence in Awami League.
In his speech, the prime minister strongly criticised the incitement of the garment workers and said that in this case, the far-right Jamaat and the far-left organisations, including the Communists, are speaking in unison.
Meanwhile, she warned that if any factory is destroyed due to vandalism in the name of the movement, the production and export will be disrupted, the bread and sustenance of the workers will hampered.
She said that even though the owners increased the workers’ wage to a minimum of Tk 12,500 a month, vested quarters are trying to create a situation to destabilise the garment industry.
Keeping this in mind, Hasina mentioned that the Awami League government has not limited the development of the country to just metro rail, Karnaphuli tunnel or big flyovers.
“We have given importance on the development of rural areas, rather than the urban ones,” she said.