DHAKA, Jan 2, 2019 (BSS)- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today sought cooperation of all including businesspersons so that she can fulfill the expectations of the people who bestowed upon her the immense confidence in the December 30 election.
“I always pray to the Almighty so that I can reciprocate to the people’s confidence which they have bestowed upon me in the election,” she said a delegation of Bangladesh Bankers Association and Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) here at her Gonobhaban residence here this evening.
The delegation greeted the prime minister on her party’s landslide victory in the December 30, 2018 general election and presented her with bouquet of flowers.
President of Bangladesh Bankers Association Nazrul Islam Majumder and FBCCI president Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin led the delegation.
Sheikh Hasina thanked the country’s business community for their overwhelming support to the Awami League-led Grand Alliance in the polls saying “Your support has helped us to woo public support.”
About the landslide victory of the grand alliance in the election the prime minister said this time people didn’t cast their votes for any other candidates but for ‘boat’ which they considered as the symbol of development and progress.
“This time people were very much eager to exercise their franchise. Even many voters cast their votes only seeing the symbol. People had demonstrated the same sentiment what they showed in the 1970 election casting their votes only for Bangabandhu’s ‘boat’. At that time Awami League’s rivals got only two seats out of 169”, she said.
Sheikh Hasina described the ‘nomination trading’ as the prime cause of BNP’s debacle in the election race saying unfortunately the behavior of the opposition was very peculiar as they didn’t nominated their winning candidates.
“They nominated three to four candidates in every constituency by taking money. They took the election as a trade, not to win the race,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said a number of BNP candidates went to the Bangladesh embassy in Dubai to submit their nominations as they were asked by the party hierarchy. The embassy refused to accept their nomination papers requesting them to submit those to the returning officers or on online.
“Being annoyed with the party leaders they publicly expressed their grievances, acknowledging giving money for purchasing nomination,” Sheikh Hasina said.
“A strong opposition is very crucial for democracy. So we wanted to have a strong opposition. But how you will get an opposition if they engaged in ill practice of nomination business,” the prime minister said.
Sheikh Hasina said she does not aspire to get anything but materialize the dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“I wish people of Bangladesh get their homes and their children have access to education, healthcare and food to make their life decent and prosperous,” she said.
She urged the businesspersons to help the people of their respective locality saying their supports can change the life of a lot f people in their areas. Then no people in Bangladesh will remain in the grip of poverty, Sheikh Hasina said.