Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today reiterated that Awami League (AL) is always beside people, saying “AL, Sheikh Hasina never flee” rather her party’s only motto is to improve the lives and livelihoods of the countrymen.
“Sheikh Hasina or AL never run away, didn’t flee,” she said responding to BNP’s remark that “AL will not get escape route”.
The premier was addressing while inaugurating blood donation campaign, discussion, and doa mahfil organised by Bangladesh Krishak League in the city’s Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium on the first day of the “month of mourning”.
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members was brutally killed on August 15, 1975.
Referring to BNP, she said, “Our opposition party, although they are not in the Parliament, says that we will not find any escape route and gives threat”.
Sheikh Hasina, also the President of ruling AL, said she would like to remind the person, who delivered this speech, that “Sheikh Hasina or AL never run away, didn’t flee”.
Highlighting her return to the country during the 1/11 government, she said that Tareque Zia, son of Khaleda Zia, fled the country in 2007 giving a bond that he won’t do politics anymore.
Now they, whose party’s leader is a convict, are making big remarks, she said.
“You (BNP leaders) already remained fugitive. How come they can make such big remarks under the supervision of a convicted fugitive,” she added.
The prime minister said she returned home despite threats and strong obstructions from the then caretaker government.
“At that time, I was abroad. They (the 1/11 government) didn’t want me to come. The caretaker government did not allow me to come. All international airlines were asked not to land in Dhaka with me. They will not be allowed to land in Dhaka,” she said.
“Even after giving such instructions, I forcefully came back to Bangladesh,” she said.
The AL chief said her party leaders and activists were threatened saying that actions would be taken against those who will go to the airport but “our leaders and activists did not pay heed to it rather thousands of people gathered at the airport when I landed in Dhaka.”
She continued: “I’ve returned ignoring all the bloodshot eyes.”
After the discussion, the premier opened the blood donation campaign at KIB on the occasion of the month of mourning.
Awami League Presidium Members Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Deputy Leader of the Parliament Begum Matia Chowdhury and Agriculture Minister Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque and Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim also spoke.
With Bangladesh Krishak League President Samir Chandra Chanda in the chair, its General Secretary Umme Kulsum Smriti conducted the event.
At the outset, one minute silence was observed to pay tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other August 15 martyrs.
Source: BSS