Vote for 'boat' in future polls

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said there was no need to raise any demand before her as she knew people's problems and also how to deal with them.

“I am well aware of people's problems and also know well how to deal with them and develop the country… we're working to that end,” she told a mammoth public rally at Alia Madrasa ground here.

She called upon people not to forget “boat”, the electoral symbol of Awami League, in future as the party continued to ensure peace, prosperity and development of the country.

Terming the Awami League an organisation of common people, Hasina said the country witnessed massive development whenever the AL assumed office.

“But those who had grabbed power looted everything, created militancy and unleashed terrorism. There will be no place for them. Bangladesh is moving ahead and will continue to do so… we will establish Bangladesh as a prosperous and developed country,” she added.

About the atrocities “unleashed by the BNP-Jamaat” ahead of the January 5, 2014 polls and during January to March last year, the premier said nobody at that time could escape from “Khaleda Zia's vengeance”.

Those culprits who burnt innocent people to death would not be spared, she said. “Cases have already been filed in those places where incidents of violence had occurred. Everyone involved in such crimes will be brought under trial.”

Hasina, also the AL chief, blasted BNP founder Ziaur Rahman for illegally grabbing power and stopping the war crimes trial after the assassination of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She said the war crimes trial is being held now and the verdicts are being implemented.

She said when the country is moving ahead and people are living in peace, BNP chief Khaleda is unhappy.

The PM said although her previous government (1996-2001) had taken an initiative for setting up refuelling facility at Osmani International Airport in Sylhet, the BNP-Jamaat government halted the activities. After assuming office again in 2009, the then AL government took initiatives to set up the facility at the airport.

Hasina said a process is underway to set up two more medical universities in Rajshahi and Chittagong. A previous AL government had established the country's first medical university, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, in the capital, she noted.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak, and AL advisory council member Suranjit Sengupta spoke, among others.

Prior to addressing the rally, the premier inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of 22 development projects from the meeting venue.