The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Wednesday called upon the leader of the opposition and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia to withdraw her 'audacious' remark about throwing away the country's constitution.
'The leader of the opposition must to seek apology to the nation for dishonouring the constitution achieved through laying down lives by 30 lakh martyrs. Otherwise, the nation will not forgive her,' she added. Sheikh Hasina said the people, who did not believe in the country's independence and sovereignty and could not accept victory in the War of Liberation, can make such an utterance – 'throwing away the constitution of the country.'
'It is very much usual to make such remarks by a person like Khaleda Zia who did not join the freedom struggle. Not only that, she broke all traditions by sending a condolence message at the death of a Pakistani army officer when she was prime minister,' she added.
The prime minister said this at a function organised by Swechchhasebok League, an associated body of Awami League, marking the 18th founding anniversary of the organisation at Ganobhaban in Dhaka.
Chaired by Sechchhasebok League president Molla Mohammad Abu Kaiser, the programme was also addressed by former president of the organisation and Awami League Organising Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim and General Secretary Pankoj Debnath.
Later, a cake was cut on the occasion. Jaif and Elija, son and daughter of Saima Wajed Hossain, also grand children of the prime minister, cut the cake amid repeated applause and slogans.
The prime minister said the constitution has been made clean through the 15th Amendment with the removal of all illegal matters.
She said the caretaker government bill, passed in the parliament formed after voter-less election, was 'faulty'. She said the nation has bitter experiences of the last caretaker government.
Sheikh Hasina said if Khaleda Zia wanted caretaker system, the leader of the opposition must admit that the last general election of 2008 was held in a free, fair and credible manner. Even, she have to admit that the lawsuits filed by the caretaker government against her family members on charges of corruption were 'logical and authentic'.
The prime minister expressed her government's desire to achieve economic freedom of the country by establishing parliamentary democracy on a firm footing and maintaining its continuity.
Laying emphasis on continuity of parliamentary democracy for overall development, she said a country cannot achieve desired development without continuity of democratic government.
Besides, she the BNP-Jamaat government after assuming office in 2001, started plundering public money and perpetrating repression and oppression on the then opposition political parties. In protest against their repression, the people of the country cast votes for Awami League in 2008.
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh was dubbed as a country of corruption, terrorism and militancy during the BNP-Jamaat regime in the outer world. But, she said her government has been able to overcome the negative image of the country.
Sheikh Hasina said as a result of the country's positive image, foreign investors have been choosing Bangladesh as a good place of their investment destination. Blaming BNP for the power, electricity and gas situation, she said her government has been working relentlessly to solve the problems.
She described her previous tenure of the Awami League government as a golden era of Bangladesh when the country achieved self-sufficiency in food production, increased power generation and literacy rate as well.
But, she said all achievements have gone down during the BNP-Jamaat's tenure.
Listing various development programmes of the government, she asked the leaders and workers of Swechchhasebok League to supplement the government efforts for building a happy and prosperous Bangladesh free from poverty and hunger.
The prime minister asked the current leadership to hold the national council of Swechchhasebok League in September and October next. A large number of leaders and workers of the party joined the function.
Source : New Age
