Will amend mistakes if I get another chance: PM
Awami League President Sheikh Hasina today appealed to the people to return her party to power for a straight fourth term by casting votes on the January 7 general election.
"Today I've appeared before you to ask for votes in favour of the symbol boat," she said in a televised address to the nation, her final campaign speech which was aired at 7:00pm.
"The call has come, it's time to take the road", Hasina said quoting from poet Sunkanta Bhattacharya's poem, Udayachal (From the East).
"If I have made any mistakes along the way, my request to you is to look at those in a forgiving manner. If I can form the government again, I will get a chance to correct the mistakes. Give me an opportunity to serve you by voting for the 'boat' in the January 7 election," she said.
In her over 24-minute speech, the PM said she was seeking another five-year term in office to make the development sustainable, work to improve people's living standards, and build a developed Smart Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty.
Hasina said during her government's three consecutive terms (2009-2023) the country has witnessed the continuation of a "democratic trend and stability" in the process of building a people's welfare-oriented society based on "equality and justice."
"If we can form the government again by getting your valuable votes, we will be able to implement our programmes," she said
Hasina thanked the people for giving AL an opportunity to serve them in the past.
She also said whatever she has achieved would not have been possible without the support of the public.
The ruling party chief said that her party is expecting a free, fair and impartial election on January 7.
"Our government is giving all kinds of support to the Election Commission for conducting fair and peaceful elections," she said.
She mentioned the Awami League is party of the mass people and whenever it comes to power it ensures economic and social development of the country.
The government has ensured food, safety, health services, housing, education, and employment to the people besides making massive infrastructure development, she said.
Talking about her party's election manifesto, Hasina mentioned listed 12 priorities for the socio-economic development of the country.
They are:
1. To protect and promote the practice of democracy at all levels.
2. Making every effort to keep prices within the purchasing power.
3. Ensuring education leading to employment and employment of the youth.
4. Building smart Bangladesh based on modern technology.
5. Mechanisation of integrated agricultural system and taking measures to preserve the produce with the aim of increasing production.
6. Development of agricultural products and food processing industries.
7. To create employment opportunities by developing infrastructure and industries up to the village level.
8. To increase efficiency and capacity of bank insurance and financial sector.
9. Making health services affordable to low-income people.
10. Ensuring individual and social security by including all in the universal pension system.
11. Making law enforcement agencies efficient in the use of modern technology and ensuring their accountability.
12. Eradication of communalism and all forms of terrorism and militancy.
Briefly describing the overall development of the country in the last 15 years, Hasina said that the growth reached 7.25 percent, per capita income increased 5 times, budget size increased 12 times and the Annual Development Program increased 13 times, GDP size increased 12 times, foreign exchange reserve increased 36 times, export earnings increased 5 times, annual remittance increased 6 times, foreign investment increased 5 times.
Wages of workers increased 9 times, foreign exchange reserve increased 36 times while export earnings increased 5 times, she noted.
She also mentioned that poverty rate declined from 41.51 percent to 18.7 percent while extreme poverty rate reduced by 5 times.
Drinking water coverage increased from 55 percent to 98.8 percent. Sanitary latrines increased from 43.28 percent to 97.32 percent. Infant mortality decreased from 84 per thousand to 21. Maternal mortality decreased from 360 per lakh to 156. The average human lifespan is 72.8 years now.
The prime minister said that power generation capacity increased 8 times in the last 15 years while electricity consumption rate increased from 28 percent to 100 percent. Literacy rate increased to 76.8 percent while 22 times enhancement in technical education.
The grain production increased four times, she added.
In any economic index, she said, the economy of Bangladesh has excelled in 2023 with a multifold growth compared to 2009. In 2009, the GDP was only 102 billion US dollars. In 2023, the GDP will increase to more than 450 billion US dollars.