Modern Bangladesh

The grand electoral alliance's last campaign rally led by Awami League President Sheikh Hasina at Laldighi Maidan in the port city of Chittagong yesterday turned into an ocean of people again, spilling over onto the adjacent roads and alleyways.
There she reiterated her resolve to transform Bangladesh into a modern, science and technology based developed country free of bribery, corruption and terrorism, if on Monday her alliance is voted to rule the country.
“We want to create a good life for you that will be free of the curse of unemployment, we want to ensure education and healthcare for all," said the former premier.
Hasina for the first time introduced grand alliance nominees for different Chittagong seats at the rally chaired by Chittagong City Corporation Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury who is also the president of the city unit of Awami League (AL).
Emphasising on Chittagong's development, she said if elected to power, her grand alliance will develop the division's infrastructure and the port city into the commercial capital.
She promised to upgrade Chittagong port to international standard for the whole of South Asia.
She also pledged to build a deep-sea port, and construction of a hanging bridge over the Karnaphuli River and a tunnel under it.
Urging all to vote for boat and plough, election symbols of grand alliance components, she said, “We want to build a Bangladesh imbued with the spirit of the liberation war. We want to put anti-liberation forces on trial on the soil of this country, and drive out bribers and bribe takers.”
Earlier, she addressed different street rallies in Comilla, Feni, Chhagal Naiya, Mirer Sarai and Sitakunda on her way to the port city.
Saying that Monday's parliamentary election is crucial for the country and its people, she alleged that the money BNP-Jamaat-led four-party alliance is spending in the election, had been earned through 'looting' during its immediate past regime between 2001 and 2006.
"You have the right to that money. But don't sell your soul to BNP and its allies," she said while addressing a rally in Daudkandi in Comilla.
She said, "If you come across someone like that, you hand the person over to the police."
As Hasina mounted the stage at the Chittagong rally, thousands of grand alliance activists and supporters as well as a large number of non-partisan ralliers expressed their all out support for her and her electoral alliance.
Security measures for her was quite extensive in the port city too including bullet proof glass fitted on the lectern and on almost the entire length of the front stage.
Grand alliance supporters from different constituencies in the city had been arriving at the venue since noon in processions carrying placards, festoons, and election symbols of the alliance's components. The venue was packed with crowd by 2:30pm.
Long before Hasina got on the stage all adjacent roads including KC Dey Road, Loyal Road, and the roads stretching up to Anderkilla intersection, New Market and Jail Road intersection, became overcrowded with enthusiastic activists and supporters.
Navigating through the roads became difficult as transports that had carried the ralliers from different parts of the greater Chittagong into the city were parked on almost every road leading to the rally venue.
Hasina got on the stage around 5:12pm amid a resounding applause and right away approached the lectern without wasting any time to start delivering her speech as she had very little time in her hand as the hour of maghrib prayers was approaching.
Hasina said the people of the country were oppressed and deprived under BNP-Jamaat-led alliance's regime as it was submerged in corruption and hooliganism.
“But we don't want misrule, oppression and hooliganism anymore and want to bring down the prices of essential commodities within the reach of the people to build a developed Bangladesh free of hunger, poverty and illiteracy,” she said.