Staff Reporter:
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday sought vote for “boat”, urging the people to elect Awami League (AL) again to attain the “developing nation” status and complete other unfinished works as no other party has such patriotism to accomplish those.
“We’ve elevated Bangladesh to a developing nation, and the boat (electoral symbol of AL) has to be elected again to implement it. None other than AL can do this as they have no patriotism, no responsibility to people,” she said.
The premier said this addressing a grand rally as chief guest, organized by Maheshkhali Awamil League at the township field of Matarbari Thermal Power Project here.
Mentioning that AL could form the government in the last three consecutive times as people of the country voted for them, Sheikh Hasina, also the president of ruling AL, called upon the people to vote for her party in the coming national elections for ensuring their welfare by accomplishing the incomplete works.
“Election is approaching. In that election, I want you to vote for ‘boat’ so that we can serve you again and complete the unfinished tasks by returning to power again,” she said.
The Prime Minister said that her father, also the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, liberated this country, and it is her duty to build the fates of the people.
“Bangabandhu lifted Bangladesh as the least developed country. Keeping the ideology of Father of the Nation and following his footsteps, we have elevated Bangladesh to the status of developing nation,” she said, adding, “We have to implement that.”
In this connection, Sheikh Hasina told people that they have to cast their votes for ‘boat’ and ensure the win of Awami League in the next election to materialize the developing nation status.
Coming down heavily on BNP and its allies for unleashing arson attacks again on general people, the AL chief said that if any person has humanity, then that person can’t kill anybody burning alive.
She said that BNP-Jamaat is burning people alive as well as burning vehicles. “Their (BNP-Jamaat) only task is to burn people alive and destroy properties. We develop and create, while they just destroy those,” she added.
“They just know how to destroy, not to do the welfare of the people,” she continued.
To this end, the Prime Minister urged people to remain cautious about them.
Sheikh Hasina said that she has lost her father, mother, brothers and other family members, and she has nothing to lose or get. “My only job is to ensure that people of Bangladesh will stay good and have developed life as my father wanted.”
Mentioning that she wants to build a hunger-free, poverty-free and developed-prosperous Bangladesh, she said, “I want to materialize the dream of my father.”
She added that for the development and welfare of the mass people of Bangladesh, she is ready for any sort of sacrifice.
“If needed, I am ready to sacrifice my blood like my father. My only task is to ensure your welfare,” she said.
Talking about the increasing inflation, the premier said that when war (Russia-Ukraine war) started at that time sanction and counter sanction caused increasing inflation.
“We’ve tried to contain that. We’ve taken steps to curb the inflation rate and very soon the inflation rate will decline. People will be able to live a better life,” she said.
She urged all to utilize their every piece of land for farming and produce whatever they could. “Please don’t leave behind a single inch of land without farming, we will advance our own country,” she added.
Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, local lawmaker from Maheshkhali and Kutubdia constituency Asheq Ullah Rafiq also spoke with Maheshkhali Upazila AL President Valiant Freedom Fighter Anwar Pasha Chowdhury in the chair.
Prior to addressing the grand public meeting, the premier unveiled the inaugural plaque of the development projects. She inaugurated 15 completed development projects including Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal-Fired Power Project (2×600), and laid foundation stones of three other projects involving Taka 53,467 crore.
She, earlier in the morning, opened the 102-kilometer Dohazari- Cox’s Bazar Rail Line and the iconic oyster-shaped Cox’s Bazar Railway Station.
The already completed projects are: Bridge over Bakkhali River, Connecting Kutubdia Island to National Grid through Submarine Cable, Cox’s Bazar Airport Development (first phase), Ukhiya Waste to Power Generation Project, 40 technical training centres in 40 upazilas and one Institute of Marine Technology in Chattogram, academics buildings of four schools, tourist bus services, one stop service centre for tourists, expansion and development work of Chakaria Bir Muktijoddha Shaheed Abdul Hamid Municipal Bus Terminal, Kutubdia Thanda Chowkidar Para RCC Girder Bridge, and Gorakghata-Shaplapur Janatabazar Road in Maheshkhali.
The projects of which foundation stones were laid are: Teknaf Multipurpose Disaster Resilient Shelter cum Isolation Centre, construction of 184 bridge RCC Girder Bridge Construction on Nanda Khali under Ramu Upazila, and Building Construction Project under Cub Scouting Expansion Scheme in District Primary Schools.
