Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that Awami League has ensured the right to vote, constitutional rights, and democratic rights. Sheikh Hasina said these things in her speech at the 22nd National Conference of the ruling party Awami League at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on Saturday. Questioning what the election in Bangladesh was, the Prime Minister said, “The election was what we used to say: 10 Hondas, 10 gangsters, the election is cold.” This electoral reform, too, but 14 parties including the Awami League, proposed together with the Grand Alliance. Whatever else the caretaker government does, whatever our prisons and whatever else they do, they have at least implemented some of that proposal. Awami League president Sheikh Hasina said, “Khaleda Zia made 1 crore 23 lakh fake voters.” Apart from that voter list with photos is done so that no one can cast a fake vote…The transparent ballot box is now introduced. We had a slogan, the slogan of the Awami League, “I will give my vote, I will give it to whomever I want. Referring to the right to vote, it is a constitutional right, a democratic right, Sheikh Hasina said, ‘Awami League has confirmed that right. I know, many people want to make the vote controversial. Many people talk a lot. We have legislated for the formation of the Election Commission. According to that law, the President is forming the Election Commission by making a search committee. We Awami League do not interfere there. I have made the Election Commission completely independent. Previously, the financial capacity of the Election Commission was not its own, it was kept in the Prime Minister’s Office. We have given this financial capability from the Prime Minister’s Office to the entire Election Commission, to them. They are given money directly from the budget so that they can work independently. A voter ID card has been done, and EVM has been activated. But we don’t know that there is any scope for manipulation. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, ‘If we had the problem of stealing people’s votes, why would we do that? Like Khaleda Zia, we would have made the Aziz Marka Election Commission, but we did not do that. We have trust and faith in the people. We walk with that faith. The conference started around 10:30 am. In the beginning, national and party flags were hoisted along with the national anthem. Sheikh Hasina hoisted the national flag. Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader hoisted the party flag. Later, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the conference by flying pigeons and balloons as symbols of peace. In the speech, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “Today’s Bangladesh, at least since we formed the government, we have been able to take this Bangladesh forward.” After forming the government in 2009, Sheikh Hasina mentioned that she was in power three times in a row until 2022, and because of this power, we can take Bangladesh forward on the path of development. After covid now comes another Russia-Ukraine war and sanctions. The whole world is affected by it. Developed and rich countries are suffering from economic recession today. In Bangladesh, we are still able to keep our economy going, but it will still hit us. Awami League President Sheikh Hasina said, ‘Padma Bridge, we were accused of corruption. I did not come to make money through corruption. My father was the president and the prime minister. And I am a four-time prime minister. If our family was corrupt, then we could not give anything to the people of the country. We have come to give to the people of the country. I came to do it for people. This will spoil the image of Bangladesh, at least I, the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib, cannot accept it. I gave a challenge; I will build Padma Bridge with my funding. I thank the people of Bangladesh, and I thank the people of my country; They gave me courage. The strength is given by Allah Rabbul Alamin. We built the Padma Bridge with our funding. Only Padma
Not a bridge, today three airports are of international standard made by the Awami League government. The fourth is in Cox’s Bazar. Roads, bridges, and bridges have been built all over the country. A few days ago, we managed to improve 100 bridges and 100 roads. No one has been able to do it together like this before? … We can improve the country, that is the reality.’
