Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday (Jan 19) promised to value the people’s confidence bestowed on her government through the Dec 30 elections saying, it would work for every citizen irrespective of their political affiliations or views.
“Victory and defeat is a natural course of an election and its true Bangladesh Awami League won the election but, I want to make it very clear — my government would work for every people irrespective of their political faith,” she told a mammoth rally in the capital. The premier added: “Every party and every citizen is important for us.”
She said her government would work as well for “balanced development” of every area of the country in public interest.
Awami League staged the public meeting at Suhrawardy Udyan to celebrate its landslide election victory while Sheikh Hasina joined the celebration as the party president, local media reported.
She said with their mandate the people “gave us the duties to work for them and “our government” would work for socioeconomic development of every people, ensuring their political rights, improving their living condition.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to serve them,” Sheikh Hasina said.
Sheikh Hasina said the people spontaneously voted for Awami League in view of its election manifesto and “we would always keep it in mind during our term in office”.
She asked the people who were elected to parliament must fulfill the people’s aspirations as they gave their mandate against “terrorism, militancy, drug and corruption”.
Sheikh Hasina reminded the party men that earning victory was easier than its protection while it was tough as well to serve the people after winning the polls.
“(But) I will try to give value to the peoples’ confidence even at the cost of my life,” she said and urged everybody to work heart and soul to translate their commitment to the people.
The PM said people wanted peace and the country’s continued journey towards prosperity for which they lent their support to Awami League as “our party is committed to achieve the cherished goal”.
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Kader read out a citation given to the PM for her successful leadership. Awami League advisory council members Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed, presidium member Matia Chowdhury and Muhammad Nasim, Liberation War affairs minister AK M Mozammel Haque, central Awami League leaders Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Abdur Rahman, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Mirza Azam, MP, Sadek Khan, MP, Shah-e Alam Murad and Jubo League chairman Omar Faruk, addressed the rally among others.
Awami League publicity secretary and information minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and deputy publicity secretary Amiunul Islam conducted the rally while noted singer and parliament member Momtaj Begum enthralled the audience with songs.
Sheikh Hasina said her government wanted to build a modern digital society with people having adequate knowledge on science and technology and their support for the government in the elections reflected their will to expedite the process of building a digital Bangladesh.
The premier said the result of the Dec 30 election was actually the people’s mandate in favour of the Liberation War spirit which meant there was no room for war criminals, anti-liberation forces and those who indulge in militancy, drug and corruption.
“People have given their verdict to build Bangladesh with the spirit of the War of Liberation. And it’s our firm pledge to build Bangladesh as a hunger and poverty free nation with the spirit of the War of Liberation,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh will celebrate the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020 and Golden Jubilee of Independence in 2021 as a nation free from hunger and poverty.
By 2041, Bangladesh would be a prosperous nation and in 2071 our next generation would be the citizens of a prosperous nation, she said.
