No dialogue, PM hints
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday hinted that no dialogue would be held ahead of the next general election.
"Bangladesh has multi-party democracy and an independent Election Commission. If any party wants to participate in the [next general] election, they can. If any party has no capability to take part in the election, they may opt out," she said.
The PM was addressing the sixth triennial council of Bangladesh Mahila Awami League, the women's wing of the ruling AL, at the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan in the afternoon, reports BSS.
"Many people say a dialogue should be held. But with whom it will be held? Is it with the BNP, its convicted [chairperson] Khaleda Zia, or Tarique Rahman who wanted to kill me by carrying out the [August 21] grenade attack?" she said.
Hasina, also the AL president, questioned whether her party would have to hold talks with "the corrupt, embezzlers of orphans' money, money launderers, arms traffickers, grenade attackers, and killers of Ivy Rahman".
The PM said the people will hold an election even if any party boycotts it and that they would not accept vote-rigging.
The prime minister said people did not accept the February 15, 1996, election and dislodged the then government of Khaleda Zia within about one and a half months after the election.
"Khaleda Zia had to step down over allegations of vote-rigging," she said.
Hasina said people waged a movement against the vote-rigging, and at that, "the goons of the BNP-Jamaat and police" unleashed inhuman torture on the general people, particularly the women. "Even pregnant women and mothers were not spared the torture."
But the women activists of the BNP are now waging a movement by bringing out processions and holding rallies without any interventions from the government, she said.
Referring to arson attacks carried out by the BNP men in 2013-14 in the name of a movement, Hasina alleged that the opposition party's movement is to kill innocent people through arson.
"We have no objection to movements. Bring out processions and hold meetings, but no one would be allowed to get away if they want to kill anyone through arson, grenade or bomb attacks," she warned.
"The people are with the Awami League, they are not with the killers. Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman are the killers."
Khaleda and Tarique, the premier said, have been awarded punishment for committing offences. "So what can they do for the welfare of the people?"
She asked the Mahila League leaders and activists to work for the wellbeing of the country and its people.
Briefly describing various measures taken by the government for overall development of the womenfolk, she said her government has been doing everything possible for the women as she believes no development can take place by keeping women, half of the country's population, in the dark.
Hasina formally opened the council by hoisting the national flag and releasing balloons and pigeons, the symbol of peace.
The fifth and last council of the Mahila AL, which was formed on February 25, 1969, was held on March 4 in 2017.
NEW COMMITTEE
The new central committee of the Mahila Awami League was formed yesterday with Meher Afroze Chumki as its president and Shabnam Jahan Shila as general secretary.
AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader announced the committee at the council session.
Chumki is an AL lawmaker from Gazipur-5 while Shabnam Jahan is an MP from reserved seats for women in parliament.
Shaheda Tareque Dipti and Hasina were elected president and general secretary of the Dhaka North Mahila AL, while Sabera Begum and Parul Akter were elected president and general secretary of the Dhaka South Mahila AL.