Khaleda to bring graft, terror again if goes to power

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday ridiculed BNP chief Khaleda Zia over the latter's vow to give the country a facelift if her party returned to power and said the former prime minister would only replace the prevailing “peace” with “terrorism, militancy and corruption” in the name of change.
“What did she [Khaleda] mean when she talked about change? Will she bring back terrorism, militancy, grenade attacks and corruption in the name of changing the face of the country?” Hasina asked while referring to Khaleda's recent speech at a Barisal rally.
The prime minister also alleged that the BNP chief would stop the ongoing trial of war criminals and rehabilitate them again.
“The nation will judge their [BNP-Jamaat alliance] misdeeds at the next election as they did in the previous one [in December 2008]. They will then come to senses,” said Hasina. She was addressing a view exchange with the party's grassroots leaders from Sylhet city at her official residence Gono Bhaban.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, PM's Adviser Alauddin Ahmed, minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta, Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui and State Minister for LGRD Jahangir Kabir Nanak were also present in the meeting.
Recalling various misdeeds of the BNP-Jamaat alliance regime, she said, “Grenade and bomb attacks took place at least 10 times in Sylhet division alone. Law and order worsened because of repressive acts.
“[But] I can claim now that peace is prevailing in the country as the government has been able to tackle extremism and militancy successfully with an iron hand, although the opposition parties are trying to create anarchy at some places,” said the prime minister.
Claiming that her government was able to rein in corruption, the prime minister feared that the opposition leader would unleash the menace again in the name of changing the face of the country if she returned to power.
“There was no incident of bombing in the country in the last four years. But the opposition leader, in the name of changes, will patronise terrorists to stage incidents of bombing in all 64 districts of the country.”
Stating that the government would distribute 29 crore free textbooks among students next year, the Awami League president said, “[But] Khaleda will stop this in the name of changing the face of the country. What's the use of education? The opposition leader has proved that one can be prime minister without having any mentionable education.”
After the killing of Zia, the premier said, it was said that he had left only a broken suitcase and a torn vest. “May I ask how you [Khaleda] have become so rich? Do you have any magic lamp?” she questioned.
MPs BLAST KHALEDA
Some ruling Awami League lawmakers also blasted Khaleda Zia in parliament yesterday for her pledge for change, reports our correspondent.
In the name of point of order, they made long speeches attacking Khaleda and her elder son Tarique Rahman.
Even the presiding officer allowed AL MP Tofail Ahmed to continue with the blasting ignoring the rules of procedure of parliament.
After MPs ended their speeches on call attention notices, Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali took the chair and allowed Rabbi and other MPs to carry on with the censuring. A total of 11 MPs spoke.
They said the country would become champion in corruption again and that the economy would plunge into a vulnerable situation, if BNP-Jamaat came to power.