UNB, Dhaka :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday expressed satisfaction that her ruling Awami League party has been able to fulfil its election pledges to the people.
She said this in her introductory speech at the Awami League Advisory Council meeting held at her official residence Ganobhaban.
At the outset of the meeting observed one-minute silence in memory of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders, martyrs of August 15 massacre and late members of the Advisory Council.
Hasina, president of the ruling party, said that Awami League never forgets its election pledges after forming the government.
“Every time while formulating the budget we evaluate how much progress we have made to implement the election pledges,” she said.
She also mentioned that while formulating the budget the Awami League government considers how to implement the unfinished election pledges.
She said that the government is advancing the country using the modern technology by developing from the grassroots level.
Recalling the horrible days the people faced after the mayhem on August 15, 1975 the prime minister said that the power was not in the hands of the mass people.
“The power was in the hands of the military dictators who had captured the state power illegally wearing uniform and as a result the development of the country was hampered while they thrived with their own development,” she said.
She said that during the military regime some 19/20 military coups had been staged while there were session jams in the educational institutions amid jingles of arms.
The PM said that the government has done the development of the country from the rural level with 90 per cent of its own sources.
She also mentioned that Bangladesh has attained the status of a developing country.
Talking about the Padma Bridge, the premier said that her government could take up the challenge as she has been honest in her purpose.
“We have built that bridge with our own money. Inshallah I will inaugurate that bridge on June 25,” she said.
She also said that a Canadian court declared all the allegations regarding this project false and baseless.
In this connection she mentioned that Dr Muahmmad Yunus, just for a post of managing director of Grameen Bank, carried out the conspiracy.
“He illegally stayed in the MD post of Grameen Bank at the age of 71. He lodged a case regarding the matter and lost,” she said.
She alleged that the World Bank cancelled the funding of the project on his (Dr Yunus ) request and later the Awami League government constructed that Bridge with the country’s own resources.
She said the next council of Awami League will be held within December this year.