PM warns her party members against national and int'l conspiracies

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday alerted her party members that many conspiracies might be hatched nationally and internationally against the country in the future as vested quarters can't tolerate the rapid progress of Bangladesh.

"There'll be many conspiracies nationally and internationally (in the coming days). Because those who don't want a country to make so much development have been working against Bangladesh," she said.

 Hasina, also the president of Bangladesh Awami League (AL), made this remarks when leaders and activists of different district units of AL met her at the PM's official residence Ganabhaban here.

She asked AL leaders to make the party stronger as an organization and work keeping the next general election in their minds.

"You will have to work keeping it in your mind so that the progress of Bangladesh would continue," she said.

The premier said her government has relentlessly been working for the welfare of the people. "So, the people vote for us. It is the reality. So, we don't need to rig votes. AL comes to power gaining the confidence of the people by serving them….AL always came to power through votes," she added.

Focusing her government's success in the development of Bangladesh, the PM said it connected the country's southern region with the capital through recent construction of Padma Bridge, and earlier connected the northern region through construction of Bangabandhu Bridge over Jamuna River during its rule from 1996-2001.

The scope for connectivity in the entire Bangladesh has been created. So, the country is witnessing the socio-economic development and will witness it further, she said.

PM Hasina said her government has reached electricity to 100 percent houses, is ensuring healthcare services, raised the literacy rate and reduced the child and maternal mortality rates.

She said her government has successfully been able to do whatever is essential for the development of a country.

Referring to the outcome of the recent Household Income and Expenditure Survey, the PM said the poverty rate declined to 18.7 percent now from 41 percent in 2006 while the extreme poverty rate to 5.6 percent from 25 percent in 2006.

"No person will remain an extreme poor in the country," she said.

Hasina said her government proved that AL in power means the fate of the people gets improved.

The AL President said the BNP and Jatiya Party were born from the pockets of military dictators.

"The parties like BNP and Jatiya Party did not emerge from the soil and the people," she said.

Since the two parties came to power with guns, the people rejected them.

The PM criticized the BNP leaders and their like-minded people for not seeing the huge development of Bangladesh.

"They continue telling lies everyday using loudspeakers. I can't understand why they continue telling lies even on Ramadan days!" she said.

She recalled that the BNP-led 20-party alliance won only 29 out of 300 seats in 2008 parliamentary polls, though none could raise any question about that election. The position of BNP still remains unchanged, she added.