Don't Allow Anyone To Play With People's Fate: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today reiterated her call to the countrymen not to allow anyone to play duck and drake with the fate of the Bangalee nation.

"I urge the countrymen not to let anyone play duck and drake with the Banglee Nation's fate," she said while inaugurating the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project's Dhaka-Bhanga section as chief guest unveiling a plaque at a civic rally here.

The premier said, "This country is ours; (we) attained independence in exchange for blood. Bangladesh will march forward in the world arena and stand with head high cherishing the ideology of the Father of the Nation."

Mentioning that Bangladesh will be a smart country by 2041, she said, "We will build a smart population, smart economy, smart government, and smart society. It is our goal."

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's younger daughter, Sheikh Rehana was present at the inaugural ceremony.

Echoing the Bangabandhu's quote "No one could hold back Bangalee" that he delivered during his historic March 7 speech, the prime minister said, "No one will be able to hold back this Bangalee, and Bangalee (nation) will remain united."

As Awami League (AL) remains in power, the country witnesses the neutral election, she said, citing the remarks of a section of people who are talking about free, fair and neutral elections.

"And the people who talk about elections, who cast AL out from power every day, they don't want neutral elections as their birth took place in the hand of a person who grabbed power illegally," she said, adding, "they didn't come to power without vote rigging."

She continued that the BNP-Jamaat led 20-party alliance got only 29 seats out of 300 seats in the 2008 election and since then they have been staying away from the elections.

She went on saying that apart from taking part in elections, they are engaging in playing with elections, arson terrorism, killing people and destruction.

Turning to the issue of Dr Muhammad Younus without mentioning his name, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of the ruling AL, said the World Bank stopped funding the Padma Bridge in favor of this person only for remaining him in the position of Managing Director, which he lost due to age limitation.

 "I told that day, we will build the Padma Bridge with our own financing, and InshaAllah we have done it," she added. 

With Railways Minister Md. Nurul Islam Sujan in the chair, Secretary of the Ministry Dr. Md. Humayun Kabir delivered the welcome address.

Member of the Parliament from the local constituency (Munsiganj-2) Sagufta Yasmin Emily, Chief of Army Staff General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed and Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen also spoke.

At the outset of the function, a video documentary on the Padma Bridge rail link project and other development works of Bangladesh Railway under the present government was screened. 

Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Railways Ministry ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, Bangladesh Railway Director General Md Kamrul Ahsan and Project Director Afzal Hossain were present at the dais._BSS