By Sumi Khan
Dhaka, Feb 22 (IANS) Bangladesh Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday called upon her country’s people to boycott the parties formed illegally by military dictators and remain vigilant against them.
“It is impossible to assume power by lobbying foreigners. It seems like someone coming from outside will take the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) to power…. It (BNP) has been dreaming so. Once upon a time, they could make it happen by acting as a broker (of foreigners). But there is no scope left in Bangladesh to come to power through the acts of an agent,” she said, presiding over a meeting organised by the AL at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre here to mark the Shaheed Divas and International Mother Language Day.
The Prime Minister said that the people of the country have now become much more aware and they know better about the country, its history and the target of the Awami League government.
She accused the the BNP leaders of “going to their local and foreign masters and lodging complaints against the Awami League government” despite the fact that her party did nothing to them in comparison to their misdeeds with her party when it was in the opposition.
At the outset of the meeting, a minute’s silence was observed to pay homage to the martyrs of the Language Movement, Liberation War, August 15, 1975 carnage and all the democratic and progressive movements.
The premier said that BNP, while in power, never allowed AL to take to the street and unleashed inhuman torture to their leaders and activists, referring to the BNP’s nationwide movement without any interference of the government.
The day is also being observed around the world as UNESCO recognised the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999. Bangladesh missions abroad also observed the day in a befitting manner.
–IANS
sumi/vd
