Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the country didn’t see any development during the regimes of illegal power grabbers who seized power violating the constitution with the strength of arms.

Seeking vote for her party’s election symbol ‘boat’, he reiterated that the country’s people witness development when boat remains in power.

“Bangladesh witnessed no development when the violators of the constitution were in power through arms. There has been development only when Awami League came to power,” she said, addressing a mammoth election rally at the Government Rajendra College field here this afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina said ‘boat’ is the symbol of Prophet Nuh that saved the human race during the Great Flood, adding this boat in which “you people got your independence and developed your living standard”.

She said, “if only boat is there (in power), people of Bangladesh will stay well and in peace.”

“Will you cast your votes for boat? Promise me, please raise your hands,” she urged the people and they rally raised their hands and chanted slogans for boat.

The Awami League chief said that conspiracy of anti-Bangladesh forces did not stopped yet, rather it has been intensified.

“There’re so many conspiracies. Those who didn’t support during our liberation war, their conspiracies did not stop yet,” she said, adding, as the conspirators know that Bangladesh never bow down to any one, their conspiracies are huge.

“I’m the daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I never bow down to anyone and will never do that,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that although the Awami League government already has done massive development works across the country, it has more works to do.

“We need to build up ourselves as a developing country. For that whom do you need? Just tell me,” she asked the audience.

She said that Bangladesh will be a developing country.

“Only the boat symbol… if boat gets votes… if only boat gets votes, I will be able to come in power again and it will be possible to build Bangladesh as a developing country,” she said.

The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh will never go back, adding: “Only the symbol ‘boat’ will give you the solutions. You all (voters) have to remember that.”

By 2041, Bangladeshi will be a smart nation, she said, adding, “Bangladesh will be hunger-free, poverty-free, developed and prosperous Smart Golden Bengal which was the dream of the Father of the Nation.”

She said Smart Bangladesh means Smart Government, Smart People, Smart Economy and Smart Society.

After she lost everything, she mentioned, the people of Bangladesh are her family. “So, I sacrifice for the country’s people what I have”.

She introduced candidates from Faridpur, Rajbari and Magura, and sought votes for them.

Awami League presidium member and Awami League nominated candidate from Faridpur-1 Abdur Rahman, cricketer Shakib Al Hasan, who is contesting from Magura-1 constituency as Awami League nominated candidate and Awami League nominated candidate from Faridpur-3 constituency Shamim Huq also spoke.

Arriving on the dais, Sheikh Hasina waived national flag to the crowed. In response the crowed also waived their flags.

A festive mood was seen everywhere in Faridpur town as well as in the entire district marking the visit of the Prime Minister.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina reached Faridpur by road crossing the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, and arrived at the rally ground at about 03:15pm.

On the occasion of 12th parliamentary election, the Awami League President kicked off her party’s election campaign from Sylhet-I constituency following the tradition and Ziarat of shrines of of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shah Paran (RA).

On the first day of New Year 2024, the Awami League President addressed a grand election rally at Kalabagan Field in the capital.

On December 30, Sheikh Hasina addressed rallies in Tungipara and Kotalipara, which were also her electoral constituency, and on her way back to Dhaka addressed another rally at Kalkini in Madaripur.

She came Tungipara and spent night after attending and addressing a mammoth rally at the Bangabandhu Uddyan in the divisional headquarters on December 29.

On December 28, the Awami League President virtually addressed six election rallies in Jamalpur, Sherpur, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi, Chandpur and Bandarban districts together from the party’s Tejgaon office.

She visited Rangpur on December 26 and addressed election rallies in Taraganj, Mithapukur and Pirganj upazilas.

On December 23, she held election rallies virtually in six districts – at Public Library Filed in Kushtia, Wazir Ali School and College Field in Jhenaidah, Satkhira Government High School in Satkhira, Zilla Stadium in Netrokona, and Sheikh Russell Stadium in Rangamati district as well as Bamna and Patharghata upazilas in Barguna districts from Bangladesh Awami League Office.

On December 21, she held election rallies in five districts –Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Natore, Pabna and Khagracchari – through a virtual platform from Awami League Office at Tejgaon.

Awami League sources said that the party chief is scheduled to conclude her election campaign through the rally in Narayanganj on January 4.

-BSS.