Grand rally in Dinajpur today
Govt against reforms as it wants to rig polls: Hasina
Hasan Jahid Tusher, from Dinajpur
Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina yesterday alleged the BNP-Jamaat-led government is conspiring to snatch peoples' right to vote instead of accepting the opposition's proposals to reform the Election Commission (EC) and caretaker government system."They [the government] don't want to accept our reform proposals as they know very well people won't vote them in the next election for their immense corruption and misrule," she said. Hasina, also the Awami League chief, was addressing a roadside rally at Chandaikona bus stand in Sirajganj on her way to Dinajpur, where she is scheduled to address a grand rally of the opposition 14-party today. Hasina said the government is reluctant to accept the proposals knowing they would not be able to rig the election then. She placed the reform proposals in the House on February 12. Thousands of AL workers and supporters welcomed the AL chief on way to her three-day visit to a number of northern districts. Hasina greeted the AL workers from her motorcade at different spots. She alleged the coalition government came to power "through massive rigging in the 2001 election and are conspiring again to rig the next election." She urged all to build resistance in every village and ward to "foil the conspiracy". She also asked the people to check the current voter list whether they have been included or not. She expressed deep shock over the deaths of garment workers in a fire in Chittagong on February 23 and demanded compensations for the families of the dead and injured. "The nation is witnessing killings and deaths one after another since this government came to office," she said. The people are experiencing severe electricity, fuel, fertiliser and seeds crises under this government, which has increased prices of fuel and essentials in a planned way to become rich, she added. Hasina arrived in Dinajpur at 7:00pm to take part in the rally today at Gora Shaheed Maidan in the town, reports our Dinajpur correspondent. She visited the grave of Abdul Wahed Kanu Mia, her brother-in-law, on her way and offered fateha and attended the chehlum at Fatehpur in Pirganj. She will stay at Dinajpur Circuit House during her three-day visit and is expected to return to Dhaka tomorrow. Security measures have been stepped up in the town due to the visit. An 8,000-strong force of policemen and Rab and BDR personnel has been deployed to maintain law and order. Police sources said a two-square-kilometre security blanket has been formed to ensure foolproof security.
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