“Politicians used to do politics to show off. After Awami League came into power, we have gone into the grassroots levels of people’s lives and have undertaken development projects to make changes in their living standards,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.
She was speaking at a special extended meeting of the ruling party at her official residence, Ganabhaban, in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon.
The meeting was attended by members of the party’s Central Working Committee, Advisory Council and National Committee, party lawmakers and the presidents and secretaries from all city, district, upazila and municipality units.
Describing Awami League’s political ideology, the party chief said: “We do politics for the people of Bangladesh and not for our luxury. People’s welfare is the biggest asset of a politician. Politics is for the people’s welfare and to up buildthe country.”
At the meeting, Hasina detailed the party’s future plans, including those for the next general election and the upcoming city corporation elections.
Criticizing BNP, she said that people were tortured and killed during the BNP regime, while BNP leaders got involved in corruption.“But Awami League changed that scenario and tried to bring development to the doors of the common people.
“Our work for the people has turned Bangladesh into a role model for development to the world.”
Grassroots will be responsible if AL losesnext polls
The prime minister on Saturday said the grassroots leaders and activists of Awami League would be held responsible if people do not votefor the party in the upcoming 11th parliamentary election.
"We have implemented so many developmentprograms… It will not be acceptable if people do not cast votes for the boat after such massive development works,” she said.
Hasina said there was no reason for the people to not elect Awami League to power again. “But if that happens, you the leaders and activists of the grassroots level will be held responsible.
“In my opinion, thiswill mean that you have failed to reach out to the mass people, serve them, convince them and inform them about the tremendous developments that have taken place during our term.”
She also insisted that there was no reason for the Awami League candidates to suffer defeat in the elections.
She asked the party leaders and activists to maintain unity and work together for the party and the country with a sacrificing attitude.
The prime minister also warned the nomination aspirants not to go for vote rigging against which Awami League has fought for a long time. "No one will be able to win through vote rigging. No one will be allowed to play with the people’svoting rights.”
She asked the party leaders and activists to remain alert so that the next national election was held in a transparent way and no one could question it.
"We do not want to earn the bad name of vote rigging like the BNP... Wehave to return to power with people's votes," she said.
The Awami League chief said if the BNP-Jamaat clique managed to come to power they would destroy the country as they do not believe in the independence and existence of the country.