Return people's money

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina speaks before thousands who attended a rally on Nilphamari Govt High School ground yesterday. The programme has been seen as countering the opposition's anti-government agitation.Photo: PID

Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina yesterday said opposition leader Khaleda Zia and her two sons must return the people's money they “siphoned off, including the money they took from orphans”.
She vowed to bring Khaleda, the BNP chairperson, and her two sons, Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman Koko, to book on corruption charges they are currently facing. Khaleda and Tarique are also accused in the Zia Orphanage scam case.
“You [Khaleda] have misappropriated the money of the Zia Orphanage Trust and your two sons siphoned off hundreds of crores of taka of people's money when you were in power. You have whitened the black money,” Hasina accused her political archrival.
“Their trial will definitely be held,” she said, addressing a huge rally at Nilphamari Govt High School ground.
Hasina, who was the chief guest at the meeting, made the remark responding to Khaleda Zia's recent statement in a rally in Sylhet where Khaleda said they would construct Padma Bridge free of corruption if voted to power.
Hasina said the opposition leader flanked by war criminals has now been forging movements to save the war criminals and her two corrupt sons.
The prime minister said the rightful share of Teesta water will be realised from India. “Discussion is going on Teesta water sharing. Insha Allah, we will be able to realise the rightful share of Teesta water from India like the Ganga water sharing deal.”
Nilphamari district Awami League organised the rally which thousands joined. Party leaders, workers, and supporters of the party from different upazilas and adjacent districts started pouring in since noon to join the meeting considered a counter programme to the opposition's anti-government agitations.
Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, acting General Secretary of Awami League Mahbubul Alam Hanif, lawmakers Asaduzzaman Noor and Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury also spoke at the rally chaired by district Awami League president Dewan Kamal Ahmed.
Hinting the abolishment of the caretaker system, Hasina said the constitution has been amended to protect the people's democratic right of franchise.
Hasina said Khaleda questioned her religion after she visited the Dhakeswari temple during the Durga Puja festivities. Hasina said she prays five times a day and unlike Khaleda's, her day starts with Fazr prayers in the morning and not around noon.
Referring to last BNP-Jamaat coalition rule, the prime minister said that Ziaur Rahman only left a broken suitcase and a torn T-shirt for his family. But that broken suitcase has become a magic box and Khaleda Zia amassed crores and is now living a luxurious life.
Hasina said the present government has rooted out terrorism from the country. She claimed that when people live in peace the opposition leader feels uncomfortable.
Referring to recent visit of the Indian prime minister, Hasina said the two countries are working closely to resolve all the unresolved issues. She claimed complexities on border demarcation and the enclave issue have been removed.
She said her government protected the country's independence and sovereignty by resolving the longstanding issues. “I even got 45 bighas of land in Feni for her [Khaleda's constituency] from India through border demarcation.”
Hasina accused Khaleda of not doing enough to get the rightful share of the Teesta water even though she was in power for two terms.
Lawmaker Noor, who is from that part of the country, made a number of demands before the prime minister. Hasina said she will introduce Masters and Hons courses at Nilphamari Govt College and Govt Girls' College respectively.
She claimed that when the Awami League assumes power, there is no Monga (acute food and job crisis in the northern districts). She vowed to set up industries and garment factories in the region to help people get rid of Monga permanently.
At the meeting JP chief Ershad demanded the prime minister ensures supply of natural gas in the northern districts.
She expressed gratitude towards the people who voted the Awami League to power.