Citing massive improvement in Bangladesh's economic and human development indices during her 15-year rule, incumbent prime minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has urged the pro-democratic and law-abiding parties not to fuel ideas that disrupt" the country's constitutional process.
Delivering an address on state television ahead of Sunday's general elections, Hasina said the Awami League, whenever it came to power, ensured the economic and social development of the people of the country.
"People's food, safety, medicare, housing, education, employment and massive infrastructure development is ensured," she said in her address on Thursday as she highlighted her party's goals to turn the county into "smart Bangladesh" by 2041.
My request to political parties and institutions that believe in democracy and the rule of law is not to indulge and fuel any idiosyncratic/peculiar ideas that disrupt the constitutional process in the country, the 76-year-old prime minister said, in a veiled jibe at the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) which is boycotting the voting on Sunday for the 12th National Parliamentary Elections.
Starting Saturday, the BNP, led by former prime minister Khalida Zia, has called for a 48-hour nationwide general strike.
It has demanded an interim non-party neutral government to hold the election, which was rejected by the Hasina government.
Over 1,500 candidates from 27 political parties are contesting in the election besides 436 independent candidates. A total of 119.6 million registered voters are eligible to vote at Sunday's polls in more than 42,000 polling stations, according to the country's Election Commission.
Hasina was one of the 18 leaders from various political parties, sans the BNP, to address the electorate on state television, state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) said.
Referring to the first-ever Election Commission (EC) in Bangladesh that was formed by enacting a law, Hasina said, We expect a free, fair and neutral election. The election commission has been given financial independence, while administration and law enforcement agencies are vested under the EC.
The election commission is conducting the election fully independently. Our government is giving all kinds of support to the election commission for conducting fair and peaceful elections, she was quoted by BSS as saying.
Since winning the national election in 2008, the Awami League has been in power for three consecutive terms from 2009 to 2023.
As she highlighted her party's goals to turn the country into a Smart Bangladesh by 2041, Hasina said there is a huge gap between Bangladesh of 15 years ago and today's Bangladesh, as people's quality of life has improved and people today dream of a better life.
Asserting that her party wants to make this development sustainable, to improve quality of life and make Bangladesh a hunger-poverty-free developed Smart Sonar Bangla, Hasina said: Today, I have come to you to seek your vote for the boat.
Hasina pointed out that the economy of Bangladesh has excelled in 2023 with a multi-fold growth compared to 2009. In 2009, the GDP was only USD 102 billion while in 2023, the GDP will increase to more than USD 450 billion, she said.
Recounting the development over the last 15 years, the Awami League chief rattled number after number: the growth was 7.25 per cent, per capita income increased five times, budget size increased 12 times and the annual development programme (ADP) increased 13 times.
The size of the GDP also increased 12 times, foreign exchange reserves increased 36 times, export earnings increased five times, annual remittance increased six times, foreign investment increased five times and the wages of workers increased nine times.
She also mentioned poverty reduction rates (from 41.51 per cent to 18.7 per cent), drinking water coverage (up from 55 per cent to 98.8 per cent), sanitary latrines' coverage (up from 43.28 per cent to 97.32 per cent), decreased infant mortality (from 84 per thousand to 21), decreased maternal mortality (from 360 per lakh to 156) and that the average human lifespan in Bangladesh was 72.8 years.
The AL President also mentioned a dozen-odd issues from her party's manifesto for, what she described as the socio-economic development of the people.
Hasina also invoked her late father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as she said, Let's all make this Bangladesh a Smart Golden Bangla and fulfil the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
