PM Hasina rules out possibility of Sri Lanka-like crisis in Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday made it clear that Bangladesh will never face an economic crisis like Sri Lanka as her government has been developing the country in a planned way.

“There is no use in making false accusations against us. Bangladesh will never become Sri Lanka and it can’t be,” she said.

The premier was addressing a commemorative meeting organized jointly by Awami League’s Dhaka north and south city units at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre to mark the National Mourning Day of August 15 – the day the country’s founding leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along with most members of his family in 1975.

Hasina, who is also the president of governing Awami League, said her government has been placing the budget in planned ways for the continuation of the country’s economic development.

She said every development project is taken considering its economic return in the country.

“Before taking every development plan, we think how it will help benefit the country and its people once it is completed. We don’t at all think about getting large amounts of money as commission from a big project,” she added.

The prime minister said Bangladesh has been repaying the foreign debts in time. “We don’t eat ghee (clarified butter) by borrowing money. The amount of our debts is not so high that we would fall into the debt trap of anyone,” she said.    

She, however, said Bangladesh had to face a Sri Lanka-like situation during the 2001-2006 regime of BNP, but her government has pulled the country out from that state.

Citing the misrule of the BNP regime, the Awami League chief said when BNP was in power, Bangladesh became the champion in corruption five times, and prices of essential commodities were soaring, there was scarcity of electricity, water and employment, the country witnessed militancy, violence and grenade attacks.

‘Enough kindness shown to Khaleda’

Noting that BNP is now staging a drama over sending BNP Leader Khaleda Zia abroad for treatment, the PM said the opposition leader was shown enough kindness.

“Khaleda has been shown much kindness. It is not possible to show more compassion towards her,” she said, adding that Khaleda has been allowed to stay in her house by exercising PM’s executive authority considering her age, sickness and suffering in jail.

Khaleda, the PM said, goes to the hospital well dressed and wearing makeup and, on the other hand, her doctor reports that her condition is very bad and her liver has been seriously damaged. Everyone knows what (drink/food) causes the liver to rot quickly, she added.

She once again alleged that Khaleda patronized the killers of her parents, backed attempts to kill her and insulted her during the death of Koko (the younger son of Khaleda).

The prime minister said Khaleda Zia made her parents’ killers Col Rashid and Huda members of parliament (MPs) through the voter-less election held on February 15, 1996.

Noting the remarks the BNP chairperson made before the August 21 grenade attack in 2004 and the Kotalipara bomb plantation in 2000, she said: “There is no doubt that BNP was behind all bomb plots in the country.”

She questioned why they (BNP government) did not allow the trial of the August 21 grenade attack, destroyed all evidence and staged the “George Miah” drama.

“How can they now seek so much compassion from us after such things happened? It is my question. Time and again they wanted to kill me. Even then I showed compassion to her,” she went on.

Hasina said she rushed to console Khaleda Zia after the death of her younger son but she was not allowed to enter the house.

“The door was closed before me. I was not allowed to enter. What a humiliation?” she said citing that the incident reminded her that Khaleda Zia along with her husband used to go to her (Sheikh Hasina’s) house after every one or two months and couldn’t sit in chair in many times rather had to sit in cane tool there.

“Unfortunately, I was not allowed into her house.  The gate was closed as soon as my car stopped there,” she said recalling her memory at that time.

The PM said she has already shown compassion towards her (Khaleda) even after such an insult. “How much more kindness will I show to her who wanted to kill me?” she said.

Relief items to be sent for Pakistan flood victims

Sheikh Hasina said Pakistan's Baluchistan was badly hit by the flood and she already directed the officials concerned to consider what items are needed for the flood victims. “We will send them relief items,” she said.

Exercise austerity in the use of electricity and fuels

The premier asked all to prevent wastage and rather exercise austerity in the use of every item including electricity, water and fuels as the USA would not let this Russia-Ukraine war stop soon.

She said this war will not stop until the next US election and the world might witness a deeper crisis in the days to come.

Hasina asked all the people to grow more crops and other foods in Bangladesh to prevent any food crisis.

Awami League’s Dhaka city south unit President Abu Ahmed Mannafi presided over the function. 

Awami League’s Dhaka city north unit President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman, Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation Atiqul Islam, north city unit Vice Presidents Sadek Khan MP and MA Quader Khan, its General Secretary SM Mannan Kachi, and south city unit Vice Presidents Shahid Serniabat and Nurul Amin Ruhul MP and its General Secretary Humayun Kabir, spoke on the occasion.