Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday (Jan 30) launched the campaign for Bangladesh Awami League from northeastern city Sylhet, marked by the footprints of Sufi saints. She seeked vote for 'boat' for the elections to be held in December at a mammoth rally at Sylhet Alia Madrasah Ground in the afternoon, local media reports said.
Hasina said the ruling Awami League aimed to keep up Bangladesh's journey towards further prosperity and development as a nation with dignity, taking on board people of Bangladesh at home and abroad. To achieve the goal, we seek vote for boat in the next elections, she told the rally hours after visiting the holy shrines of Hazrat Shah Jalal, Hazrat Shah Paran and Hazrat Gazi Borhan Uddin in the city and on its outskirts.
The premier said Bangladesh Awami League's symbol "boat" had brought independence and showed the path of prosperity, and now the boat is taking ahead the country to the path of development. The huge audience raised their hands amid applauses as at one point of her address, Hasina urged the people to express their support for the "boat".
Sylhet district and city Awami League jointly organized the rally. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, Road Transport and Bridges Minister and AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Joint Secretaries Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif and Dr Dipu Moni, State Minister for Finance M A Mannan, among others, spoke at the rally.
Sylhet City Awami League President Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran presided over the public meeting which was held after the premier opened 18 development projects and laid the foundation stones of 17 others by unveiling their plaques from Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa ground.
