‘It’s impossible for BNP, allies to topple govt’

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said BNP and its allies want restoration of the caretaker government system not for an election but for pushing the country into darkness again.

“No one will be able to push the country into darkness again,” she said.

Hasina, also the Awami League president, was addressing a discussion marking the 104th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the party’s Dhaka district unit office in Tejgaon.

The premier said it is not possible for BNP and its allies to topple the government as the people are with AL.

“They are dreaming of ousting the Awami League government. How do they forget that Awami League always stands by the people for which they vote for the party time and again?”

The PM questioned why BNP and its allies want to oust the government.

“What crimes have we committed? Is making Bangladesh independent a crime? Are standing by the people or working to transform Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous country crimes?”

Hasina said BNP has been arranging iftar parties in Ramadan instead of distributing iftar among the poor people. “And they are criticising the government and demanding election under a caretaker government.”

She said AL and its associate bodies and the party’s elected public representatives have been distributing iftar among the poor without holding iftar parties.

“People are supporting the Awami League as they always find the party beside them in their time of need.”

The PM wondered why BNP wants polls under a non-party interim government. “There was a caretaker government during the 2008 election. In that election they won only 30 seats against Awami League’s 233.”

Hasina came down heavily on BNP for raising question about democracy in the country.

“The party was formed by a person [Ziaur Rahman] who grabbed state power illegally.”

She said BNP does not understand the language of democracy and its meaning at all.

The premier reiterated her pledge to transform Bangladesh into a developed, prosperous and smart “Sonar Bangladesh” free from hunger and poverty by 2041 as envisioned by the father of the nation.

“We are taking oath on Bangabandhu’s birthday to build Bangladesh as a developed, prosperous, and smart Sonar Bangladesh by 2041,” she said.

AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, presidium members Matia Chowdhury, Mosharraf Hossain, Qamrul Islam, Mustafa Jalal Mohiuddin, and joint general secretaries Hasan Mahmud and Dipu Moni, among others, took part in the discussion.