Plan afoot to destroy country by bringing ‘third party’ to power: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, has urged party members to unite and prepare for the 12th national election, saying it would be harder this time due to the plans of conspirators.
Speaking at the AL's Parliamentary Party meeting held at the meeting room in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Sunday (22 October), she said there was a plan afoot to destroy the country by bringing a third power to power.
Hasina brought up a conversation with Brazilian President Lula de Silva, she said he had told her that he had left Brazil in a good way, but when he resumed power, all the work was undone.
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The PM then called on everyone to save the country from a similar fate and urged that the conspiracy be resisted with a united front.
Highlighting the country's development, sources said Hasina urged for unity, alongside increasing engagement and gaining popularity.
She said the upcoming elections would be participatory, free and fair, but also challenging, speculating that BNP would join in the end.
Party sources told The Business Standard that BNP would try to make the elections controversial, but even if they didn't join, other parties were ready to do so.
On the BNP's 28 October programme, Hasina said to let them protest.
She said no one would be spared if they committed arson or anarchy in the name of movement.
To her party, she said nominations would be given on merit.
The meeting started at 6:10 pm and lasted for more than two hours.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said party nomination will be given on the basis of various survey reports conducted every six months, which would be scrutinised by the PM.
"Nominations will be given to those who have acceptability and popularity. The candidate should work unitedly," he said.
An MP, under the condition of anonymity, said, "The leader [Sheikh Hasina] said a vested quarter is hatching conspiracy so that we [AL] and BNP do not come to the election. She said we have to face this conspiracy and hold the election," the ruling party MP said.
AL MPs Shamim Osman of Narayanganj, Kazi Keramat Ali of Rajbari, Noor Uddin Chowdhury Nayan of Laxmipur, Abu Reza Muhammad Nezamuddin Nadvi of Chattogram and reserved women's seat MPs Aroma Dutta and Syeda Rubina Akhter Meera were among those who spoke at the meeting.
