Next election a challenge: PM tells AL leaders

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the upcoming general election is a challenge.

"The next election is a challenge. Different types of conspiracies and plots are being hatched," she said while exchanging views with the leaders and activists of ruling Awami League and its associate bodies at her official residence Gono Bhaban.

Bangladesh is likely to hold a general election in December this year or January next year.

BNP, the country's main opposition, has vowed to boycott the polls unless the government steps down in favour of a non-partisan caretaker administration to make it free and fair.

The government has rejected the demand as unconstitutional.

Hasina, also the AL president, said whenever the life of the country's people improves to some extent, some black sheep of the country speak against Bangladesh and spread lies.

Some people raise false narratives about Bangladesh before foreigners to get international donations, she said.

She said those who didn't believe in the independence of Bangladesh, committed genocide and other offences including plundering, rape, and repression during the Liberation War, and their generations have been carrying out propaganda against Bangladesh.

The PM said BNP has a record of vote-rigging and snatching democracy.

"But we now hear [the talk of] democracy from them," she said.

"Now we have to get the lesson on democracy and voting from a party which was formed in the hands of a military dictator. Stealing votes is their habit. So, what can the people of Bangladesh learn from thieves?" she added.

The AL chief asked her party members to work and strengthen their party.

Focusing on the development of Bangladesh, Hasina said this development has been possible as her party has been in power for 14 years in a row after the 2008 general election and maintained a stable democratic environment in the country.

"We wanted to change Bangladesh. And, today we've successfully been able to do so," she said, adding that Bangladesh has graduated into a developing country.

"Our biggest achievement is that the poverty rate declined in the rural area. The poverty rate is high in Dhaka city, but lower in the rural areas. None could think of it in the past," she said.

PM Hasina said her government kept its pledge by providing electricity to every house. But Bangladesh is facing difficulties as the commodity prices, transport costs, and prices of gas, fuel, and coal soared globally following the Ukraine war.

She said the interest rates of foreign loans have increased, which created pressure on the country's reserve of foreign currencies. However, there is still a reserve which is enough to procure food for five months, she added.

The PM asked to boost agricultural production by not keeping any piece of land uncultivated in the country, in order to meet the local demand and also export these.

She said food prices increased throughout the world and also in Bangladesh. People are suffering from the commodity price-hike, but the goods are available (in the market) and there is no scarcity of any item.

She said Bangladesh has witnessed a good yield of rice and other crops this time as well. Everything – vegetables, fish and meat – is being produced, even though the prices have increased, she said.

The premier said her government has recently had a record biggest national budget of Tk 761,785 crore. None could give such a big budget in the past. The most important matter is that the government has been able to give such a budget during this tough time.

She said both the number of beneficiaries and the size of allowance under different social safety net programmes were increased in the budget.

Besides, the government has arranged a card system so that low-income people can purchase some essential commodities including rice, pulse and edible oil at subsidised prices to ease their suffering, she said.