PM seeks vote for 'boat' from Jashore rally

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged the people to for her party's election symbol "boat" to give the her government another chance to serve the nation, as she addressed a grand rally here to begin the nationwide electoral campaign ahead of the 12th parliamentary election likely to be held in early 2024.

"I want you (mammoth gathering) to promise that you will vote for the 'boat' to give the Awami League another scope to serve you as you did in the last election," she said.

The Prime Minister reminded all that the BNP did not give anything to the people rather resorting to the politics of killing, torture and filing false cases one after another alongside making own fortunes by plundering public money, conducting arms trading and siphoning off money.

"BNP did not give anything to the people except killing, repression, jail terms ans disappearing people," she said, referring to her government's massive development works across the country which helped Bangladesh become a developing country alongside elaborating their plans to transform Bangladesh into a developed one by 2041.

The premier alerted the countrymen about rumours about the reserve and liquidity in banks spread by the BNP-Jamaat clique, saying don't pay heed to the rumours as Bangladesh is in a strong position economically and it has no crisis of money in the bank though the world is been going through a economic recession.

"We have no problem with money in banks as we have enough money," she said.

The gathering at the Jashore District Stadium and its surrounding areas, including lanes and bylanes, turned into a human see as people from all strata including leaders and activists of the AL, its front and associate bodies from Jashore and its adjoining districts thronged in thousands to see and hear the Prime Minister after five years.

As Sheikh Hasina got on the boat-shaped stage at 2.38 in the afternoon, she was welcomed chanting various slogans.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has been able to put Bangladesh's economy on a strong footing through the entire world is experiencing the economic recession due to the Covid-19, Russia-Ukraine war, sanctions and counter sanctions.

The Prime Minister heavily criticised the people spreading falsehood on reserve and liquidity of money in the banks. "Some people are talking about the reserve although there is no problem with reserve. Some people are saying there is no money in the banks which is totally false."

She said she held a meeting with the governor of Bangladesh Bank and the concerned people and they told her that there is no problem with liquidity in any bank.

"Our remittance is coming, investment from abroad is coming, export income is increasing alongside collection of tax," she added.

The Prime Minister said they got a reserve of only 2.5 billion USD after assuming power in 1996 while it was 5 billion USD when the AL came to power for the second time in 2009.

"We have increased the reserve to 48 billion USD from 5 billion USD," she said, adding that they used the reserve in purchasing fertiliser, rice, wheat and corn alongside purchasing vaccines of the Covid-19 and investing 8 billion USD from the reserve in various works.

The premier said the government has to give subsidies in export and agriculture alongside giving stimulus packages in various sectors from the reserve.

"We're spending the public money in the welfare of the people," she said, adding that her government has been purchasing the required commodities with whatever money required through the prices of goods alongside transportation cost have increased manifolds due to the war, to make sure that the people would not have to suffer.

Talking about the unprecedented development of the country in the last three consecutive terms, the Prime Minister said that the government is working tirelessly so that the country could stay in the world arena with self dignity.

Briefly describing various pro-people activities of the government for different sections of the people, she said that AL always works for the welfare of the masses.

Thanking the people of the country, including Jashore, for repeatedly casting their votes in favour of her party's electoral symbol 'boat' and assured them of all out development activities in Jashore and elsewhere in the country.

AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, MP, Presidium Members, Piyush Kanti Bhattacharya, Agriculture Minister Dr. Md. Abdur Razzak, MP, and Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Sheikh Helal, MP, also spoke.

With Jashore District Awami League President Shahidul Islam Milon in the chair, its General Secretary Shahin Chaklader, MP, conducted the rally.

A dance was performed on the occasion depicting that Jashore was first freed from the Pakistani occupation forces during the War of Liberation.