DHAKA, October 16, 2013 – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government is always ready to discuss with the opposition in parliament any issues including the current political situation and coming elections.
“Our door for discussion is always open. We are ready to discuss anytime they want. we are ready to discuss if they bring the adjournment motion in the parliament that they withdrew earlier,” she said.
“We will certainly consider their any proposal, there is no problem on our part,” she told media after exchanging greetings of Eid-ul Azha with party leaders and workers, and cross section of people at her official residence Gonobhabn here.
Urging the Leader of the Opposition not to provoke her party workers after Eid-ul Azha to do any activities detrimental to peace, the Prime Minister said, their call for getting ready with daos, axes, knives and bombs is very unfortunate for the nation.
“When people are celebrating Eid amid enthusiasm, peace and harmony, such type of provocation is harmful for the nation,” she said.
“If our leader of the opposition don’t create any trouble and disorder and don’t instigate people to create trouble, there would be no chaos after October 24. Peace will prevail and it’s fully depends on them (BNP),” Sheikh Hasina said.
The Prime also made it clear that the session of the ninth parliament would continue till the Election Commission is announced the schedule of the election for 10th Jatiya Sangsad.
Calling upon people not to be anxious about the situation after October 24 next, she said, the government will exist after that time and as per election will be held in any day from October 24 to January 24, 2014.
“So there is no scope to provoke people or create any confusion or giving different opinions about this, as the matter is clearly stipulated in the constitution,” she said.
In this regard, Sheikh Hasina requested all to read the article 123, 72 and 57 of the constitution to be clear about the matter.
The Prime Minister said, BNP must come to election if the party wants to go to power. “If BNP leader believes in democracy and people’s franchise, why she would not come to election,” she asked saying “How she will go to power without talking part in the election.”
Ruling out the fear of manipulation of election, the Prime Minister said, as many as 5,577 polls were held under the present government electing over 64,000 representatives. None could raise allegation of rigging in any single election, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said, “If Begum Zia is afraid of defeat in the election and if she knows that people would not give vote to her party for their corruption, killing, torture and intimidation during last regime, she would not take part in the polls.”
People of Bangladesh wouldn’t certainly want reemergence of Hawa Bhaban, corruption, rule of militants and terrorists, raping the girls like Purnima, five-year old Rajufa, torture on minorities and any dreadful situation like 2001. BNP is also responsible for the awful 1/11, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said, “If people forget the past and give vote for BNP, we have nothing to say.” She hoped that people would not make mistake and would vote the grand alliance in the next general elections.
Ministers, political leaders, freedom fighters, intellectuals, doctors, engineers, journalists, trade body leaders, leaders of front organizations of Awami League, government officials and employees and a large number of people of different section of the society including the poor came to Gonobhaban to exchange Eid-greetings with the Prime Minister.
Urging all to take lesson of sacrifice from the message of holy Eid- ul Azha and devote themselves to nation’s welfare, the Prime Minister said, “It’s a matter of great pleasure for us that every people of the country irrespective of their religious faith are now celebrating their religious festivals peacefully and with financial ability.
Sheikh Hasina said, her party’s cherished goal is to reach the benefit of independence to every house. People of the country were never deprived of whenever Awami League came to power, she said.
The Prime Minister said, Bangladesh, few years back, was known as a land of militants and corruption. “We have made the country a role model of economic development and a peaceful nation.”
Corruption is now under control and the government would do more to contain the social menace to build Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous nation, she added.
She called upon people to wait with fortitude to reap the benefit of the programmes her government has taken for their overall development and welfare. “People have started getting the benefits of our programmes,” she said adding the sixth five-year plan and a long-term perspective plan needs some time to be implemented.
Sheikh Hasina said, her government has already resolved many civic problems including traffic congestion and water crisis in the capital. “We have ensured food security, which was one of our election pledges,” she said.
Highlighting the steps taken by the present government for improvement of the quality of education, literacy rate, free textbooks, scholarships and stipends for students, Sheikh Hasina
said the present Mohajote government is doing everything which is
necessary to serve people.
“Inshallah, being elected by people in the next election we will complete the unfinished task and implement other projects for making the country hunger and poverty free by 2021,” she said.
The Prime Minister extended her thanks to the members of the law enforcement agencies for their excellent job to maintain peace across the country and animal markets during Eid-Ul Azha, Durga Puja of Hindu community. Next Friday, she said, the Buddhist will celebrate their Prabarana Purnima.
Seeking people’s support to maintain the peaceful situation, the Prime Minister said, “Our expectation is to build Bangladesh as a secular and peaceful nation in South Asia.”
“The peace that is prevailing today should be continued in future. None should be allowed to disrupt the peaceful situation and commit any crime like killing, burning people alive and arson and vandalism,” she said.
Pointing out the recent bomb explosion in a madrasa and killing of three students in Chittagong, the Prime Minister urged all not to use the Madrasa students in this type of heinous acts. She also urged people to put up resistance against the patrons of such crimes.
Later, the Prime Minister exchanged Eid-greetings with judges of the Supreme Court, senior government officials, chiefs of three services, and diplomats of different countries.
The Prime Minister entertained the visitors with sweetmeats, semais, fruits and cakes.
eNewsDesk @rrajowan / BSS