‘Remain united to foil conspiracy’

BSS, Dhaka :
Central leaders of the ruling Awami League yesterday called upon the leaders and workers of the party to remain united to face and thwart the conspiracy of BNP-Jamaat combine.
The call came from a huge public rally at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the city.
Awami League organised the public rally in observance of the Homecoming Day of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with its senior presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair. Awami League president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the rally as the chief guest.
Speaking at the rally, Awami League (AL) Advisory Council member and Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu said, “Begum Khaleda Zia wants to create anarchy in the country in the name of her siege programme by torching people to death setting transports on fire. All should remain alert in the resisting them.”
Another member of the party’s advisory council and Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working relentlessly to build Bangladesh as a developed nation while Begum Khaleda Zia has been creating anarchy by enforcing siege to push the country backward. It’s the basic difference between the two leaders, one wants to transform Bangladesh as a developed nation and the other wants to revert the country to Pakistani style.”
Demanding immediate announcement of siege programme as illegal, AL Advisory Council member Suranjit Sengupta said, “Torching of public and private properties in the name of siege can’t be regarded in any way as democratic rights. Begum Khaleda Zia and her son should be declared persona non grata forever in Bangabandhu’s Bangladesh. Khaleda Zia should be brought to justice.”
AL presidium member and Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim said, “No benefit could be reaped by creating anarchy, killing people and torching transports in the name of siege. People could not be held hostage and forced to pay the price for your (Begum Zia) mistake for not taking part in the last national polls.”
Urging the government to take initiative for Tarique Rahrman’s return home through INTERPOL, another member of party presidium Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said, “Staying in London, Tarique Rahman has been hatching conspiracy against the state. He should be brought back home and tried.”
Calling upon BNP to take part in the next polls under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said, “If BNP wants to exist as a political party it should take part in the next polls. Otherwise, BNP’s existence as a political party will be at stake. There is no alternative to hold the next polls under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”
AL presidium member and Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, joint general secretaries Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif and Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak, organising secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Dhaka City AL acting president MA Aziz, general secretary and Relief and Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya (Bir Bikram), joint secretary and Food Minister Advocate Quamrul Islam, Jatiya Sramik League president Sukkur Mahmud, Mahila AL president Ashrafunnessa Mosharraf, Awami Juba League general secretary Harunur Rashid, Krishak League president Motahar Hossain Mollah, Awami Swechchasebak League president Mollah Md Abu Kowsar, Juba Mahila League president Nazma Akhter and Chhatra League general secretary Siddiqui Nazmul Alam also addressed the huge public rally.