BSS-45 PM-CABINET 3 LAST DHAKA

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BSS-45

PM-CABINET 3 LAST DHAKA

Accusing again the BNP-led Jatiya Oikyafront of doing nomination trade, the
premier said they lost in the December 30 elections due to their own faults.

“They gave nominations to those who have money but no experience in
participating elections…they axed their own feet,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the BNP gave nomination to 3/4 candidates first and then
changed their candidates at every moment. “Some BNP candidates who purchased
nominations in exchange for money tried to submit nomination papers through
the Bangladesh embassy and failing to do so, they left after shouting,” she
said.

“They axed their own feet and they staged such many incidents,” she said.

The prime minister said she heard that two BNP candidates came from Malaysia
to contest the elections after buying nominations in exchange for huge amount
of money.

“They gave nominations to such candidates whom the people do not know,” she
said, adding the BNP not only did nomination trade, but also auctioned the
seat.

The AL president said the people of the country returned face from the BNP
due to its misrule, harbouring terrorism and militancy from 2001 to 2006.

Sheikh Hasina said the people did not accept the BNP’s misdeeds like burning
people to death, bribery, corruption, money laundering, 10 trucks arms
smuggling, the August 21 grenade attack and embezzling orphans’ money. “So,
their votes have declined to a great extent,” she said.

The prime minister said her party gave nominations to the potential
candidates after thinking and carrying out surveys.

“Two years after the formation of the government, we conducted surveys after
every six months. We gave nominations to the candidates not only on the basis
of surveys carried out by the agencies, we also engaged international
organisations in this regard and that’s why we secured landslide victory in
the polls,” she said.

Pointing out that there was a similarity between the results of the 2008 and
2018 elections, the AL president said there are no significant differences
between the two elections. “We got same results…we got some more seats due to
the nominations given by the BNP,” she said.

The prime minister said the BNP-led Oikyafront could not fix that who would
be their prime minister after the election. “Their two leaders are convicted
and one of them is fugitive…they would not have witnessed such election
debacle had they selected their leader who is staying in
Bangladesh,” she said.

Extending her sincere thanks to the countrymen for reelecting the Awami
League, the prime minister said her party witnessed unprecedented response
from the people. “There was a huge desire from the children to elderly people
that they will cast vote for boat,” she said.

“Peace will not prevail in the country and the BNP would have started
carrying out genocide if they came to power,” she said.

Referring to the BNP-Jamaat atrocities on the people after the 2001
elections, the AL chief said they raped numerous women, including Fahima,
Mohima, Ruma and Bedana, like the 1971. “They gang raped six-year-old Ojufa,”
she said.

“Many dead bodies would have been fallen and the BNP would have committed
same crimes had they come to power,” she added.

BSS/SH/MRI/0032 hrs