.jpg)
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced that the next general election of the country will be held in the first week of January 2024.
"After 2023, in the first week of January 2024, the next national election would be held. In this election, I seek your (countrymen) vote for our electoral symbol boat."
She made the declaration while addressing the huge rally at Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox’s Bazar organised by the Cox's Bazar district Awami League, reports UNB and BSS.
Sheikh Hasina also reiterated her call to the people to vote for her Awami League to sustain the country’s development momentum.
"Will you (the crowd) vote for the boat? Make a promise to vote for the boat by raising your hands," she added.
Hasina, also the President of the ruling Awami League, said that you people have given your vote for the boat and the present government has carried out development not only in Cox's Bazar but also across the country.
She said that desired development of the country has been possible as the Awami League government is in power for three consecutive terms and Bangladesh has become a developing nation.
Expressing gratitude to the countrymen, she called upon all to vote in favour of the Awami League again.
The rally was presided over by its acting president Advocate Faridul Islam Chowdhury.
Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, and the party’s central leaders also spoke on the occasion.
Sheikh Hasina said that the ruling Awami League was able to come to the power for three consecutive terms as the people gave their verdict in favour of Boat, the party’s election symbol.
“From 2009 to 2022 there is a democratic process in the country leading to unprecedented development in the country. Bangladesh has got recognition as a developing country,” she said.
Mentioning various schemes taken by the incumbent government to minimize the struggle of the lower-middle class and lower-income groups of people, she said as long as she is in power it is her responsibility to look after the countrymen.
Speaking about the Jamaat-BNP clique, she questioned what this nexus gives to the people of this country.
"Arson terrorism, killing, murder, looting, money laundering, smuggling country's money to abroad, and smuggling are the things that they can do," she said.
Hasina also mentioned that Khaleda Zia embezzled money from the orphanage and for that reason; she is convicted for 10 years.
"And her son Tarique Zia, you all know that he was convicted for seven years and fined Tk 20 crore for siphoning off the country's money," she said.
Tarique Zia was involved in 10-truck arms smuggling. "I don't know for what purpose he would use those arms," she raised the question.
On August 21, 2004, Khaleda Zia and Tarique Zia and their companions had hurdled grenades, which were used in wars, on an Awami League rally resulting in 22 Awami League men's death, she alleged.
"But, I narrowly escaped the grenade attack with the grace of Almighty Allah," she said.
The Prime Minister alleged that BNP always patronizes looters, militants and the people, who siphoned off the country's money and killed people through arson attacks.
When the BNP-Jamaat clique was in power during 2001-2006, they carried out bomb attacks at 500 places and thus, there was no security for people's life.
They set fire to buses, rails, cars, launches and everywhere, resulting in burn injury of 30,000 people and the death of over 500 people alongside the burning of over 3,500 vehicles, she alleged.
"Can a human being kill another human being putting in the fire?. . this BNP, Tarique Zia and Khaleda Zia's movement means killing people through arson attacks," she said, adding that "They do not know anything without destruction."
At the outset of the rally, the Premier inaugurated 29 development projects and laid the foundation stones of four schemes involving Tk 1963.86 crore.
Hasina also highlighted a number of her government has launched to mitigate the woes of the lower middle class and low-income people declaring that as long as she is in power it is her responsibility to look after the welfare of the people of this country.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
