Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said vested quarters are prescribing various interim government formulas to oversee the next election to avail themselves of undue benefits from those conspiring against the democratic system and constitutional process, reports UNB.
“Those who failed to conduct an election during the last caretaker government after the 1/11 have no right to prescribe us how to hold elections. Why should we listen to them?” she said sharply criticising some “high ambitious” civil society members.
The prime minister was addressing a function marking the celebration of 40 years of receiving the Juliot-Curie Peace Medal by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. World Peace Council organised the function at Osmani Memorial Auditorium.
“Who will govern the country if politicians can’t do it? The caretaker government ruled the country for two years from 2007 but what did they do for the country and its people?” Hasina questioned.
The prime minister mentioned that the previous caretaker government had created a panic across the country by harassing people from all walks of life, including teachers, students, businessmen and politicians.
Underling the importance of uninterrupted democracy for the continuation of ongoing development projects, Sheikh Hasina said the present government has adopted the policy of ‘justice for peace’ to establish the ideals of secularism, democracy and progressivism.
“Uninterrupted democracy is a must to ensure overall development and continuation of ongoing development projects,” she said.
The function, chaired by President of Bangladesh Peace Council Mozaffar Hossain Paltu, the function was addressed, among others, by Executive Secretary of the World Peace Council Iraklis Savdaridis, former Minister and Vice President of All India Peace and Solidarity Organisation Pramud Chandra Sinha, Member of Nepal Peace and Solidarity Council Gyanendra Bahadur Sreshtha. Secretary of Bangladesh Peace Council Engineer MA Kashem delivered the welcome address.
The prime minister said the government is committed to establishing peace and providing strong base to democracy by ensuring the trial of crimes and offences.
Hasina said the government has initiated the trials of war criminals and the International War Crimes Tribunals have started pronouncing the verdicts of these cases to ensure justice, which is one of the main prerequisites for peace.
She mentioned that her government is taking the country towards development facing various obstacles, including the destructive activities by the opposition parties and natural disasters.
In this connection, the prime minister mentioned the vandalism, including the burning the copies of Holy Quran and looting shops and making arson attacks on various establishments in the capital by Hefazat-e-Islam in connivance with the main opposition party.