Awami League chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged voters in Rangpur to elect her party once again to finish the initiatives it took in the past ten years for the development of the country.
“Vote for boat and I will ensure development and a better life,” she said on Sunday (Dec 23) while addressing an election rally at the Pirganj Govt School grounds.
“Pirganj is my own constituency. I have been elected as an MP from here twice. But as you know that one cannot be an MP in two seats, I have to vacate it and keep the seat in Tungipara (Gopalganj-3), where I was born,” said Hasina.
Hasina was elected from the Rangpur-6 seat in 2000 and 2014. After the 10th national election, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury ran on the party’s ticket in the by-election to win it.
The Awami League has nominated Shirin as its candidate for the Dec 30 national election.
Introducing Shirin as a daughter to her, Hasina told the rally, “Voting for her means voting for me. The ballots will read Shirin’s name, but you will be voting for me. I will ensure development.”
Development initiatives taken over the past ten years have pulled out the Rangpur region from a famine-like situation, said the Awami League chief.
“We have been able to build a ‘Digital Bangladesh’ only because of Joy, who is one of yours, dreamt of it. Joy and Putul are always beside you, so Pirganj is my concern,” said Hasina.
Hasina’s late husband Wazed Miah hails from Pirganj Upazila.
Their son Sajeeb Wazed Joy serves as the ICT Affairs adviser to the prime minister while daughter Saima Wazed Putul is an autism activist.
“Pirganj is now under 100 percent electricity coverage. Roads, bridges as well as other infrastructural development have been done. By 20121, the whole country will under power coverage.
“I have worked as your daughter-in-law, as the prime minister. Shirin will be the parliament’s Speaker if the Awami League returns to power,” said Hasina.
Coming down hard on the BNP and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami, she said branded them as war criminals and arsonists.
“They had opposed Bangladesh’s struggle for freedom and then again killed people by firebombing uses in the name of a movement.”
Paddy sheaf (BNP’s polls logo) means corruption and violence, she said.
“Khaleda Zia is in jail after embezzling funds meant for orphans. Her son Tarique Rahman was behind the Aug 21 grenade attack, which killed 25 people and left hundreds other injured. Who how will these convicts develop the country?” asked Hasina.