Criticizing the United States, Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the United States does not look at its own face in the mirror, but gives everything to Bangladesh on human rights issues. If a political party raised their hands on a US police officer, what would the police do there? A few days ago, the American police did not oppress the common people's movement for opposing the war. It is a violation of human rights. What is the answer?
The prime minister said these things in the opening speech at the meeting of the central executive of the Awami League at Ganabhaban, the official residence of the prime minister, on Tuesday (April 30) evening.
The Awami League president said, "It is unfortunate that some of our country's political bankrupts, who are completely politically bankrupt - some of their speech and some of our country's intelligence make a living, those so-called intellectuals are continuously slandering Bangladesh and spreading false propaganda against Bangladesh. The most amazing thing is that the extreme left and extreme right of this country have now become one, I don't know how it happened. Even if these two poles are united, I keep hearing that the Awami League government must be overthrown. What is our crime?
She said, during Corona, we gave vaccines free of charge. The rich countries of the world did not give but Bangladesh did. We did the test for free, no rich country did. We have taken steps to save people by spending money like water with both hands. Very few countries have managed to do that. We have achieved success there. We have reduced the maternal mortality rate, reduced the infant mortality rate, increased the enrollment rate, increased the life expectancy of people, brought medical care to people's homes, we have progress in education. Bangladesh is moving forward from all sides, where are we lagging behind? We have increased per capita income, increased growth.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, Corona pandemic, then Ukraine war, sanctions-counter-sanctions, global inflation - because of this problem, not us, the whole world, even developed countries are suffering. Still we continued our march. In the 2008 election manifesto, we announced that we will take Bangladesh one step higher by 2021. We declared vision 2021, we declare the charter of change of day. Today the day has changed.
She said, we have always aimed at the grassroots people, their socio-economic development. Today no one can say that there is poverty in the village. Now say - poverty in the city. Now a strange calculation has been made, the rate of poverty has increased in the cities, not in the villages. But at one time the people of the village could not eat rice in one meal, had no place to eat, did not get treatment for diseases and were deprived of the light of education. We have proceeded in a planned manner, targeting the people at the grassroots of our development. I have already declared the homeless and landless nil in several districts and upazilas. There are a few left, they will be gone soon. No person in Bangladesh will remain without an address.
She said, only if Awami League is in power, we can easily make the progress as a developing country. It will be established as a developed and prosperous country by 2041. Where are those who question the election, who question the right to vote? Those who have seized power through illegal assassination plots, the political parties that came out of their pockets, they now have to listen to democracy, the right to vote, those who started stealing votes by voting yes and no. After that, we have seen every election, including the presidential election, national parliament election. How people's votes have been played.
The Prime Minister said that one should not go too far in the 2001 election in which Awami League was defeated by conspiracy. We got more votes in percentage but not seats because I did not agree to sell my country's gas to other countries. Today's cry for gas, if I had agreed then, would there be any industry in our country? Fertilizer center was running, electricity production was increasing, but it was not. But Khaleda Zia gave a bond. Khaleda Zia promised to sell gas if she comes to power. I just said, God gives wealth according to people. Khaleda Zia has promised to sell gas, but will not get gas. During their period, they did not get gas by digging the cup.
Who are they to raise questions about the election under us? Those who were born through vote theft, they ask again how? Let the people say that the people of the country are happy to vote. Yes, there are some local problems in the area. In the history of the elections of Bangladesh, when has the election of 2024 been fairer in Bangladesh.