Conspirators won’t be allowed to make country a terrorist state: PM

Renewing her allegation that Khaleda Zia wants to tarnish Bangladesh’s image by killing foreigners, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said people will not allow conspirators to make the country a terrorist state.

"Staying abroad [UK], she [Khaleda] wants to taint the country’s image through killing foreigners in Bangladesh in a planned way. They (BNP-Jamaat) want to turn Bangladesh into a terrorist country through unleashing terrorism, militancy and creating Bangla Bhai as they did in the past," she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a mammoth public rally at Altafunnesa Playground in the district town in the afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina, also the chief of the ruling Awami League, said people will not let the country become a terrorist state as they do not believe in terrorism. "People believe in peace, no matter how much conspiracy Khaleda hatches…Bangladesh will become a peaceful country in South Asia."

The Prime Minister urged people to stay alert against those conspiring against the country.

She inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of a number of projects from the rally venue and termed those 'gifts' for the people of Bogra. “The people of 'boat' never deprive the countrymen as they come to deliver something.”

Hasina said the people of North Bengal have forgotten the word 'Monga' in the last seven years as her government has ensured food security through boosting crop and cereal production.

Continuing her scathing attack on her arch rival Khaleda Zia for her destructive acts to foil the January-5 polls and again in 2015 for long three months from January to March, Hasina said the BNP chief burned many people to death through arson attacks on buses, CNG-run rickshaws, trucks, and other vehicles.

Referring to BNP’s boycott of the last general election, the Prime Minister said if any politician makes a mistake in political decision making, then his or her party men would definitely have to suffer.

"Khaleda Zia has committed such a mistake by boycotting the polls…she also committed heinous acts of killing people to foil the election.

So, Khaleda and her son (Tarique) will be treated as a killer by the people of Bangladesh," she told the rally.

Hasina also mentioned that Khaleda Zia had to come out of her Gulshan office, and surrender before the court and return home after having failed to oust the government through continuing hartals and blockades for long 93 days early this year.

Turning to higher education at local level, the Prime Minister promised to set up a university in Bogra to promote higher education and suggested the youth pay due attention to their study staying away from drug abuse and terrorism.

Citing the consequences of lack of education, Hasina said Ziaur Rahman had somehow passed the intermediate exams like his son Tarique while Khaleda Zia could only pass mathematics and Urdu in her matriculation exams. "That’s why Bangladesh was a country of food deficit during their [BNP’s] rule."

Hasina said it is Awami League which could deliver to people, but BNP-Jamaat failed to do that as they always had resorted to corruption, looting, terrorism and militancy.

 She also said a burn unit will be set up at Bogra Hospital like other district hospitals and city hospitals, and urged the locals to convince their daughter in-law (Khaleda Zia) not to burn people to death any more. "Please also ask your black sheep (Tarique Rahman) to stop burning people to deaths."

Hasina also sought cooperation of people so that no one could dislodge Bangladesh from the dignified position at the global stage that the country has cemented over the years.

 The Prime Minister also promised to establish a economic zone in Bogra to boost industrialization, set up rail link from Sirajganj to Bogra then Rangpur and continue dredging the mighty Jamuna river.

Earlier, she inaugurated 19 projects and laid the foundation stones of 15 projects through unveiling plaques from the venue.

Chaired by district AL president Alhaj Mamtazuddin Ahmed, the rally was addressed, among others, by Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, State Minister for Public Administration Ismat Ara Sadique, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, former Rajshahi mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, AL organising secretaries Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan and Khalid Mahmood Chowdhury, Pankaj Devnath, Dr Siddikur Rahman (President US chapter AL), Habibur Rahman, MP and Abdul Mannan, MP.