Online Desk: Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said that politics of Awami League is just for the welfare of people, but BNP-Jamaat’s politics is to burn people.

“Their (BNP-Jamaat’s) politics is to burn people. Do the people want them? Tell me. No, people don’t want them,” she said while addressing an election rally at the historic Bangabandhu Udyan in the divisional headquarters.

The AL chief condemned severely the acts of BNP-Jamaat for killing and burning people, and said: “When we develop the country for the people, at that time BNP- Jamaat unleashed arson attacks.”

She reiterates her call to the country’s people, especially the new voters, to vote for her party to continue the unstoppable progress of Bangladesh, saying the new voters certainly don’t want their votes to go in vein.

“Awami League believes in the power of the youths. Those who are new voters and will exercise their franchise for the first time, I would request them to cast their votes for boat (election symbol) to ensure the victory of Awami League,” she added.

Sheikh Hasina said that BNP-Jamaat has no right to do politics in Bangladesh as they burn people and kill people while people do not want this kind of destructive activities anymore.

“BNP is a terrorist party, this terrorist party has no right to do politics in Bangladesh, because they burn people, kill people,” she added.

Bangabandhu’s younger daughter and Sheikh Hasina’s younger sister Sheikh Rehana was present on dais like the formal election campaign rally that began on December 20 from Sylhet, and other election rally at Taraganj, Mithapukur and Pirganj upazila in Rangpur districts on December 26.

Referring to the recent incidents in railway lines where a number of people were killed, Sheikh Hasina recalled BNP-Jamaat’s arson terrorism in 2001 and said they did the same in 2013 and 2014.

Now, they’ve started the same arson terrorism, she said, adding, “I condemn that BNP-Jamaat.”

The premier said that Jamaat, the companion of BNP, is the culprits of 1971 as it was involved in genocide, looting, rape, torturing people and their leaders were convicted as the war criminals.

“One party is terrorist, killer, 10 trucks arms smuggler, involved in money laundering, siphoned orphans’ money, and committed all types of misdeeds. And the other one is war criminal,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that BNP-Jamaat doesn’t want election. “They want to foil it, let me urge you, all of you will go to the polling centres in the early morning of January 7. What will be the symbol, it will be ‘boat,” she said.

Seeking votes for boat, the election symbol of Awami League, to serve the people once again for making their lives developed and prosperous, she said that Boat is the symbol of Prophet Nuh that saved the human race during the Great Flood.

“It is Boat in which you people got your independence and developed your living standard,” she added.

“Will you cast your votes for Boat, promise me, please raise your hands,” she urged the people who were present in the rally and they raised their hands and chanted slogans for Boat.

She introduced the candidates of Awami League and it supported candidates from the alliance of Barishal division, and sought vote for them.

The Prime Minister said that as Awami League government came in power repeatedly, the democratic process continued in the country for long 15 years resulting in the development of the country.

She mentioned that during the regimes of Ziaur Rahman, HM Ershad and Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh didn’t witness any development at all.

She added, “Rather the country went to reverse direction. And when Awami League comes in the power, Bangladesh advanced forward at unbeatable speed. This unbeatable advancement has to be maintained.”

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Barishal City Corporation Mayor Abul Khair Abdullah, Awami League Advisory Council members Amir Hossain Amu and Advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, Jatiya Party (Manju) chairman Anwar Hossain Monju, Awami League presidium members Shajahan Khan and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, and noted actor and actress Taren Jahan and Mir Sabbir also spoke.

With Barishal District Awami League President Abul Hasnat Abdullah in the chair, organising secretary Afzal Hossain conducted the rally.

Arriving on the dais, both Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana waived national flags to the crowed. In response, the crowed also waived their flags.

At the outset, cultural activists of Barishal performed local traditional songs to welcome Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana.

Mentioning that Awami League was in the power for last 15 years, Sheikh Hasina told the people that they have witnessed a changed Bangladesh which was done in that period.

She said that her government will bring gas to Barishal for massive industrialisation for the development of this area.

They have a plan to bring back the fame of Barishal as it was the granary of Bangla and known as “Agricultural Manchester”, she added.

Sheikh Hasina said that they will establish medical university in Barishal like in other divisional headquarters of the country.

The government will also construct a six-lane road from Bhanga to Barishal to ease the communication system and reduce sufferings further, she added.

Referring to her party’s goal to build “smart Bangladesh” by 2041, the Awami League Chief said: “In this Bangladesh, our children will be well educated with proper education.”

“They will learn science and technology, and become skilled Human Resources. We will build them as smart and skilled Human Resource,” she added.

She said that in the smart Bangladesh, their government will be smart a government using digital technology, agriculture will be mechanised, economy will be smart economy and the society and its systems will be turned into a smart society.

In this connection, she called upon the students to continue their studies attentively as no country becomes developed without proper education, and “you have to keep it in your mind”.