Movement threat won't work

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addresses the leaders of Khagrachhari district unit Awami League at her official residence Gono Bhaban yesterday. Photo: PMO

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the main opposition BNP not to threaten the government with any movement, saying that it will not work.
“Do not threaten us, it will not work. People know we are working hard for them,” she said at a meeting with Awami League leaders from Khagrachhari district at her Gono Bhaban residence.
Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, Sheikh Selim, Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, AL Joint Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, MK Alamgir and Satish Chandra Roy were present.
Hasina, the AL president, said the present government focused all of its energy in developing the country. “So do not threaten us.”
She said the opposition is trying to create anarchy in the country through various notorious activities.
In an oblique reference to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Hasina questioned how a prime minister could have the morality to illegally earn money and misuse funds meant for an orphanage.
She also said Khaleda Zia taught her two sons all of these activities. “Can you imagine how much ashamed we were when an FBI agent arrived in Bangladesh to give testimony regarding money laundered by her son?”
About BNP's caretaker government system restoration demand, Hasina said, “All elections held under the Awami League government were free, fair and acceptable to all. The country's people never saw such peaceful polls in the past.”
Citing the recent Comilla City Corporation election, Hasina said many opposition-backed candidates won in elections held under the current government.
“You (Khaleda) stepped down from the electoral race when you saw that the Election Commission was going to use the electronic voting machine. But in the end your candidate came out successful in the election,” she said.
How can she (Khaleda) congratulate the winner with a bouquet after claiming that the election was not neutral or fair? The opposition leader can hardly stick to her words, added Hasina.
Assuring the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord's complete implementation, she said, “When the accord was being signed, BNP opposed it. They even called a hartal on February 10 when 2,000 Shanti Bahini people were surrendering their arms. They (BNP) were always against peace in the hill tracts.”
She also described the developments ensured by the government in sectors associated with food, power, education, social safety net, health and child and maternal mortality.