Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia now realised that she had made a mistake by not participating in the 10th general elections.
“The opposition leader now realises what a blunder she has done by not participating in the election. That is why she is now killing people by setting fire and enforcing blockades,” she said, describing the opposition’s movement as a militant act.
Hasina was addressing a meeting with the members of the Christian community at her official residence Ganabhaban on the eve of Christmas.
About the opposition’s agitation programmes, she said, “This is not a mass movement at all; this is just a militant act, this is a terrorist act.” The Awami League president also questioned the opposition leader’s intentions behind such activities.
On the opposition’s election boycott, Hasina said they had not participated in the election because they were afraid of facing the people.
Blasting Khaleda for enforcing continuous blockades and hartals, Hasina said any movement was usually for the welfare of people. “But, she [Khaleda] kills people during her movement,” she said, referring to the killing of people in buses, CNG-run auto-rickshaws, felling trees, and damaging roads and uprooting rail lines.
Regarding her repeated calls since 2011 to the opposition leader to find out a peaceful way to hold election, the Awami League chief said the opposition never responded to that.
“I requested her in parliament, I offered her to join the polls-time government to remove all sorts of confusions, and even I requested her to take the home ministry, but she did not respond. Whenever I requested her to join dialogue, she always turned back.”
In this connection, Hasina recalled the torture and repression of the BNP-Jamaat activists during their rule following 2001, and said her government had ensured an environment for the people of all religions so that they could perform their religious rites freely.
Bangladesh Christian Association President and State Minister for Social Welfare advocate Promod Mankin, Arch Bishop Patric D Rozario and Bangladesh Christian Association Secretary General Nirmol Rozario also spoke at the meeting.