Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is showing indifference to the ongoing Union Parishad (UP) elections as it has no visible activities in the polls except making statements and lodging complaints.
“For the first time, the UP election is going on with party symbols. But we don’t see any visible activities of the BNP and they are not showing any interest in it, rather they are making statements and lodging complaints...Their allegations are: These did not happen, those did not occur,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League President, said this while addressing a discussion on the occasion of the 46th Independence and National Day.
“With whom and where the BNP lodge complaints?” she said adding, the party has brought in Bangladesh a British MP who was expelled from parliament for three months.
“I would like to request journalists to enquire about the matter...ratan-e ratan chene (a jewel can identify a jewel) ... Who and what things to be brought are best known to BNP,” she added.
Bangladesh Awami League arranged the discussion at Krishibid Institution, Bangladesh Auditorium with senior presidium member of the party Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair.
AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud conducted the programme.
The Prime Minister called upon the people who believe in the ideology of Bangabandhu and the spirit of the War of Liberation to work for further advancement of the country so the nation can move with self-dignity.
“Bangladesh was liberated after a long struggle under the leadership of Bangabandhu and in exchange for blood of three million martyrs. We are a victorious nation ... we always move raising our head high, not begging to others,” she said.
In this connection, she said our intention is fully different and it is very precious for us if we eat “noon-bhat” by earning it in an honest way and in exchange for labour and sweat ... we never believe in the policy of eating “byriani” through stealing and begging,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that the people of the country should be guided by self-respect not to bow to anybody.
In this regard, she pointed out the remarks of Bangabandhu that none could suppress the Bangalees. “None were able to suppress Bangalees and those who tried to do it for 21 years have failed and they would also fail in future,” she said.
Referring to the atrocities and rampage the BNP-Jamaat nexus harboured in 2013 and 2014 to foil the Januaray 5 polls as well as in the first three months of 2015, the Prime Minister said, “Burning people to death in the name of movement is surely killing and one can’t get public support by killing,” she said.
The Prime Minister in her address also reiterated her government’s steadfast commitment to building a Sonar Bangla, as dreamt by Bangabandhu, being imbued with the spirit of the War of Liberation.
“We earned independence in exchange of sacrifice as well as pain and sorrow of three million martyrs. This sacrifice would never go in vain... we will build a prosperous and developed country with the spirit of the war of independence, Insha Allah,” she said.
