Khaleda wanted martial law
Khaleda wanted martial law
PM tells Habiganj rally; accuses BNP of siding with war criminals
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Khaleda Zia had actually wanted to create a Thailand-like situation where martial law was declared amid the opposition's movement.
Speaking at a rally in Habiganj New Field, she said the BNP leader had tried to foil the January 5 election. “What would have happened had the election been stalled…Look at Thailand, martial law has been declared there, and there is no election schedule.”
Sensing defeat, Khaleda Zia did not contest the election, claimed the PM. “But why did you [Khaleda] try to resist people? Why did you kill the presiding officer?” questioned Hasina.
Describing the positives of BNP's polls boycott, she said now there is no badmouthing of anyone in parliament.
The PM accused BNP of setting fire to the Baitul Mukarram national mosque and torching hundreds of copies of the holy Quran with the help of Jamaat-e-Islami.
“They [BNP-Jamaat] do politics in the name of Islam and protecting Islam. What's their Islam? Is it setting fire to mosques and holy Quran? Let me ask her [Khaleda], your movement is to burn the holy Quran. Is this your way of protecting Islam?”
On BNP's patronisation of war criminals, Hasina, also the president of Awami League, said those who are facing trial for their alleged crimes against humanity in 1971 had been patronised by Khaleda Zia.
She said one day Khaleda Zia will have to face trial in people's court for betraying them. “Khaleda Zia is the enemy of the country and its people. She doesn't want the welfare of people,” added the premier.
Terming AL the party of people, she said whenever the party comes to power, it works hard for their welfare.
Briefly describing various development activities of her government, Hasina said it will ensure balanced development of all regions in the country. She also pledged to set up an agricultural university and a medical college in Habiganj.
AL advisory council member Suranjit Sengupta, Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, State Minister for Youth and Sports Biren Sikder and former chief whip Abdus Shahid, among others, addressed the rally, chaired by local lawmaker Abu Jahir.
BIBIYANA GAS FIELD
The prime minister yesterday opened the much-awaited Bibiyana Gas Field Extension Project and the newly constructed Bibiyana-Dhanua gas distribution transmission line.
She formally inaugurated the projects through unveiling plaques in Nabiganj Bibiyana Gas Field area. American oil giant Chevron completed the expansion of the gas field to improve the country's overall gas production.
Gas Transmission Company Limited, a company of Petrobangla, implemented the Bibiyana-Dhanua Gas Pipeline project spending Tk 1709.77 crore aimed at supplying additional gas to the national grid from the Bibiyana.
Initially, around 300 million cubic feet of gas will be supplied through this pipeline a day while the capacity would be gradually raised to maximum 640 mmcfd.
Speaking on the occasion, the PM hoped for finding oil in the Bay of Bengal.
Referring to the Bangladesh's winning of maritime boundary cases against India and Myanmar, she said huge opportunities have been created for extracting marine resources, including gas, in the Bay of Bengal as the country's sovereign rights have been established there.
Hasina also inaugurated the connecting road from Dhaka-Sylhet national highway to Bibiyana Power Plant, and Nabiganj Fire Service and Civil Defence Station.
She laid the foundation stones of Bibiyana South 400MW combined cycle power plant construction project, Bibiyana Power Plant-03 (North 400 MW), Bijnai Bridge (Rosulpur-Roisganj-Paniunda Road) and Nabiganj Upazila Muktijoddha Complex building.
The PM later visited the Bibiyana Gas Field.