We Don't Want War, We Don't Want Sanctions: Sheikh Hasina

Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, we do not want war, we do not want sanctions. She said this in the party president's speech at the 22nd National Council of the ruling party at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on Saturday (December 24).

Sheikh Hasina said, with the help of the people, we have successfully dealt with the coronavirus pandemic. We will also deal with the current global recession. The whole world is passing through an unstable economic situation. At the end of 2019, the world was hit by the coronavirus pandemic. In these two years 2020 and 2021, a deep wound was created in the world economy. Many countries' economies collapsed. Our economy also suffers.

She said that just as our economy was recovering from the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war began. And this war is not just a war of arms; Added to this is a terrible economic war. The effects of economic warfare are not confined to the borders of a single country but spread globally. The post-Russia-Ukraine war economic embargo-reciprocal embargo has crippled the global economy.

Sheikh Hasina said that Bangladesh is advancing at an irresistible speed. But don't deter one, fight the other. For this my call we do not want war or sanctions. All countries are independent. We have the right to act freely. All countries should have it.

She said war harms people. We know the horrors of war. I was in prison in 1971. My first child was born in that prison. Girls are the most affected during war, children are affected. Human rights are violated.

The Prime Minister said that she will call on world leaders to stop the war between Ukraine and Russia. Stop inciting them. We want peace. We were just emerging from the impact of Covid-19. Now, this sanction is ruining all progress.

Regarding allegations of corruption during the construction of Padma Bridge, Sheikh Hasina said that she did not come to make money through corruption. My father was the president and the prime minister. I am four times prime minister. If our family did corrupt, then we could not give anything to the people of the country.

She said, we have come to give to the people of the country, we have come to do for the people. This will spoil the image of Bangladesh, at least I cannot accept it as the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib.

Highlighting Bangladesh's ability to implement development projects with its own funding, the four-time head of government said, "We are doing many mega projects. Before doing any development project, we had to listen to many suggestions, directions and many things from many people."

She said, today we are economically independent. We have been able to self-finance 90 per cent of our development projects. We want it to continue.

Sheikh Hasina said we have been able to take Bangladesh forward since forming the government. An election was held on 15 February 1996 under the leadership of Khaleda Zia. Khaleda Zia stole the votes and declared herself the Prime Minister.

She said that the people of Bangladesh do not accept it if someone's vote is stolen. The people of this country did not accept it. Mass uprisings and movements took place. Khaleda Zia was forced to resign on March 30. The people of Bengal forced him. After that, we formed the government in the election that was held on June 12.

The Prime Minister said, we made Bangladesh self-sufficient in food, increased the rate of electricity generation, we brought Bangladesh to a place by doing many works including the Bangabandhu Bridge on the Jamuna River.

She said, our misfortune was that we could not come to the government in 2001. Why can't I have said many times, I don't want to say anymore; I would not lose the interest of Bangladesh in my life, and I would not hand it over to anyone. I had that promise. Maybe that's why we couldn't come again. I have no regrets.

She said, after winning in 2008, we formed the government in 2009, today it is 2022. In power 3 times in a row. And because we are in power, today we can take Bangladesh forward on the path of development. Whereas the budget of Bangladesh was only 62 thousand crores. In this 2022-23 financial year, Awami League budgeted 6 lakh 78 thousand 64 crore taka.

At the end of the speech, the Awami League president said, our second session is only for councillors. Our committee will be dissolved. A new committee will be formed. We have formed the Election Commission for that. That election commission will sit and names will be proposed and there will be new leadership.

With a smile on her face, Sheikh Hasina said, "From today we bid farewell, I want new leadership to come."