Desk Report
Published: 24 Dec 2022, 03:02 pm
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina || Photo: Collected
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."