PM hopes for AL victory in next polls

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday expressed her hope that the ruling Awami League will be re-elected in the 11th parliamentary polls due in December this year. “Boat (Awami League’s electoral symbol) will be victorious and the country’s development spree will go on,” she told a public rally organized by the Khulna city and district units of Awami League at Circuit House Maidan in the district town, reports BSS. Among others, Awami League joint secretaries Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni and Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Organizing Secretary BM Mozammel Haque addressed the event chaired by the party’s Khulna district unit president Sheikh Md Harun-or-Rashid. Hasina, also the Awami League president, said: “We will build a poverty- and hunger-free Bangladesh, elevating its status as a middle-income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041.”“Do you want to keep up the continuation of development in the country? If you do, then you will have to vote for Awami League,” she told the rally. The premier said her government aims to further develop the country. “People of this country achieved independence and right to speak in their own mother tongue by casting ballots for Awami League.” She also reiterated her government’s firm stance against corruption and militancy, saying criminals and corrupts must be brought to book.

‘Khaleda is in jail as she engaged in corruption’

Slating her arch-rival BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, Awami League chief Hasina claimed that during her premiership, the BNP chief had engaged in corruption that led her to prison in line with a court verdict. “Awami League and the government have nothing to do in this regard.” The past government under Khaleda’s premiership witnessed a reign of terrorism, militancy and corruption, she claimed. Khulna has now become a city of peace and stability as the present Awami League- government curbed terrorism and militancy there with an iron fist, Hasina further claimed, seeking assistance from the people in stamping out militancy. She also urged the people including parents, guardians, teachers, public representatives and religious leaders to keep an eye on children so they do not indulge in terrorism, militancy and substance abuse. Highlighting her government’s development projects in the Khulna region, the premier said the government wants to turn the region into a developed and prosperous one. “Our aim is to develop this region by establishing new mills and factories and reopening closed down ones. On the other hand, the then BNP-led government had pursued an anti-development stance, as it shut down mills and factories located in the region.” Hasina opened 47 development projects and laid the foundation plaques of 52 other schemes.

‘Bangladesh improved in graft ranking’

Speaking at the 58th Convention of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in the district’s Khalishpur earlier in the day, Awami League chief Hasina said Bangladesh’s position had improved in the world corruption index, as the government took various steps to eliminate corruption, reports UNB. “After coming to power in 2009, the government tried to eliminate corruption from Bangladesh. Now, the country has gotten its recognition and moved up two notches in corruption index.” Transparency International in its latest corruption perceptions index said Bangladesh had moved up two notches and ranked 143rd out of 180 countries in the ascending order on the list of the most corrupt countries in the world in 2017.

‘Engineers should be proactive’

Hasina urged the participating engineers to play a more proactive role with their professional competence, integrity and sincerity to implement development plans of the government. “The onus is on you [engineers] to implement the government’s development projects,” she said, urging them to give importance to eco -friendly infrastructures and technologies.