Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came down heavily on Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain for joininga platform with BNP, calling the unity a platform of killers and opportunists.
“Dr Kamal claims to be an advocate of truthfulness, but has joined hands with Tarique Rahman, who has no acceptability to the people of Bangladesh,” she said at a big public meeting organized by the upazila unit of the Awami League of the Shibchar, Madaripur in Kathalbari Ferryghat areas on Sunday afternoon, reports BSS.
The prime minister arrived there in the morning to inaugurate a number of projects linked to the under-construction Padma Bridge.
The prime minister said Dr Kamal Hossain, who claims to be an internationally renowned lawyer, has allied himself with those who are responsible for killing people in arson attacks, misappropriating orphans’ money, money laundering and corruption.
“Kamal Hossain speaks loudly against corruption, terrorism and militancy. But he has aligned himself with two recognized militant and terror organizations- BNP and Jamaat, accepting Tarique Zia as his leader,” Hasina said.
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“Was there no leader in BNP who is eligible to be the acting chairman of BNP?” asked Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Awami League, saying Tarique is convicted in a money laundering case, the ten truck arms smuggling case, the grenade attack case of August 2004 and is now staying abroad as a fugitive.
The prime minister said people of Bangladesh had given the mandate to Awami League to form the government.
In 2014, BNP and Jamaat killed hundreds of people in the name of movements to foil the election and they did the same in 2015 as well, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said she had no doubt that the BNP was involved in the carnage of BDR officers in Pilkhana in 2009. The behaviour of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia after the incident clearly manifested her involvement with the carnage. “And Jamaat is a fanatic party that kills people whenever it gets the chance.”
She said in the last two elections people cast their votes for the ‘boat’, election symbol of Awami League, because they realizedthat the boatsymbolizes development, education and prosperity.
Hasina said Dr Kamal and his associates are blind to the country’s progress. Bangladesh’s annual growth has now reached 7.86%, making it a role model of development, she said. Bangladesh is progressing fast in every sector and has been recognized as a developing country by the UN, she added.
“The whole world sees Bangladesh’s development. But they cannot see it…their development means corruption, terrorism, money laundering,” the prime minister said.
Hasina said she was not surprised with such behaviour of Dr Kamal as both he and Tarique have cleaned their black money along with Khaleda Zia.
Deputy Leader of parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, AL General Secretary Obaidul Kader, party presidium members Matia Chowdhury and Faruq Khan, advisory council members Tofail Ahmed and Amir Hossain Amu, Joint Secretary Dr Dipu Moni, Organizing Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim and Noor-E-Alam Liton Chowdhury addressed the meeting, among others, while president of Shibchar Upazila unit Md Shamsuddin Khan was in the chair.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is going ahead and its journey toward prosperity will continue. Awami League works for the welfare of the people, she said, adding that her party came to power with the pledge to light up every house with electricity.
Now 93%of the people are getting electricity, she said adding that soon no house in the country would remain without electricity.
