Awami League could retain popularity despite long stay in power: PM Hasina
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said Bangladesh Awami League has successfully been able to retain its popularity even though it has been in power for a long time.
“Staying in power for a long time, very few parties or men can sustain popularity or work for the welfare of the people continuously, But Awami League has been able to do so. We’ve proved it,” she said.
The premier said this when leaders of AL and its associate bodies greeted her at Ganabhaban on the occasion of her 43rd homecoming day.
On 17 May 1981, AL president Sheikh Hasina returned home from India, after nearly six years in exile, following the brutal assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members by some misguided army officers on 15 August 1975.
Talking about AL’s steps to establish democracy and voting rights, and reform the electoral system, Hasina said those who were once vote riggers are now vocal on democracy and voting rights in the country.
“Those who were the thieves and dacoits of votes (in the past) now want democracy and are talking about the voting rights. They were born in an illegal way. But we are to hear such words (lesion) from them,” she said.
The AL chief asked her party men not to consider such political rhetoric seriously rather stay beside the people, work for them to change their fortune and thus maintain the public trust and confidence in their party.
“We’ll have to retain the confidence of the people. The trust of the people is our only (source of) power. We’ve no other power except it.
She asked the party members to reorganize the party and its associate bodies stronger from the grassroots and stay alert so that the parties of terrorism, killing or war criminals can’t play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people anymore.
She said AL is the only party that thinks for the welfare of Bangladesh and others are the parties of plunderers.
“So, I would request you all to pay attention so that the parties of terrorism, killings or war criminals can’t play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people of Bangladesh anymore,” Sheikh Hasina added.