Foreign meddling into Bangladesh election won't be tolerated: PM Hasina at Kotalipara rally

Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday categorically said Bangladesh won't accept any foreign meddling into the 7 January national polls.

She also sounded a strong warning that the conspirators against the election will suffer severe consequences.

"Those who are plotting [here] to thwart the election will have to face proper punishment one day. And anyone from international level comes to poke nose into [our affairs], we'll not accept it. Bangladesh didn't accept it in the past," she said.

The AL chief made this remark while addressing a campaign rally at Sheikh Lutfor Rahman College ground in Gopalganj's Kotalipara upazila. 

Bangabandhu's younger daughter  Sheikh Rehana accompanied her sister Hasina at the rally in Kotalipara from a campaign rally in Tungipara.

Not mentioning the name of any foreign country that opposed the Independence of Bangladesh, the AL president said those powers failed during the Liberation War in 1971.

"We'll show them that we can achieve victory in terms of economic progress," she said, adding that Bangladesh would be taken to a glorified position by reducing the poverty rate further to a percentage which is lower than that of the rich countries.

The PM urged the new voters not to miss the chance of casting their first-time votes and give mandate for her party in the 12th parliamentary election for the sake of progress of Bangladesh.

She said those who are from the young generation and youth society and those who are first-time voters, should not spoil their maiden votes.

"Those who are new voters will have to help Bangladesh to advance further on the development journey, maintaining the current pace of progress by casting vote for the 'boat' symbol and creating scope for AL to form the government," she added.

The AL president said her party believes that the power of youth means the advancement of Bangladesh.

"We'll build a skilled and smart youth society through generation of employment, ensuring vocational training, technical education, technological education and modern education for them," she said.

Noting that it is most unfortunate that BNP-Jamaat grouping started unleashing arson violence and killing the people, Hasina called upon all to resist such criminal acts.

"Catch those who burn, harm [people] or conspire to thwart the election and give them proper punishment. I would like to urge all to do it from your position and place," she said.

Mentioning that it is the right of people to cast votes, she said it is AL that has established the rights to votes and food today.

"I would like to request you all to stay awake so that none can play ducks and drakes with this country and the fate of this country anymore," said Hasina.

AL advisory council member Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim MP, Sheikh Helal Uddin MP, Sheikh Tonmoy MP, Sheikh Jewel's wife Sheikh Shahana Yasmin Champa and AL Joint Secretary General AFM Bahauddin Nasim, among others, were present on the dais.

Kotalipara upazila unit AL President Bhabendra Nath Biswas presided over the rally that turned into a human sea.