Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said Bangladesh will become a failed state again if anti-liberation forces return to power.
"If the anti-liberation forces and patrons of killers return to power, the country will become a failed one again," she said while addressing a reception event arranged by the Canada Awami League at Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Sunday.
She said Bangladesh is marching forward and the trend of this progress should continue: "The country can't be developed unless there is continuation in government."
Talking about her party's election manifesto, Sheikh Hasina said they did much more than what they wanted to do. "As Bangladesh is making progress, it is now invited to join the G7 Outreach Session."
"When a country makes progress, it gets such invitations," the prime minister said adding that she also got invited and joined G7 Outreach Session in 2001 and 2016.
Hasina said her government is working to ensure the development and welfare of the country's people.
She said her government has placed a Tk464,573-crore national budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year – recalling that the budget size was only Tk 61,000 crore once.
In the proposed budget, the size of the annual development program (ADP) is Tk173,000, which was only Tk19,000 crore. Some 90% of ADP costs now comes from government funds, she added.
In the past, the prices of essentials used to go up with the announcement of the national budget, but now the prices remain under control as the present government has been able to bring down the inflation to 5.6%.
Now, she mentioned, the per capita income in Bangladesh has increased to $1,752.
The prime minister said even though BNP does not acknowledge the country’s development, they enjoy its benefits.
About BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the premier said Khaleda was convicted in the court through due process: "Prominent lawyers failed to prove that Khaleda didn't embezzle the orphans' money."
"A comfortable environment has been arranged for her in jail. I've no right to release Khaleda Zia from jail as it's the jurisdiction of the court. Their [BNP's] big lawyers should solve it – moving the court," she added.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif also addressed the event which was presided over by Canada Awami League President Golam Mohammad Mahmud Miah.
