Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has charged the government with turning the country into a 'haven for terrorists' and thus 'tarnishing' its image before the world.
The BNP along with its 'fundamentalist' allies in the government has made the country terrorists' sanctuary by resorting to terrorism during its six-month rule, she alleged.
The leader of the opposition in parliament was addressing the inaugural session of 27th national council of her party's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) at Paltan Maidan in the city yesterday.
Hasina, accompanied by BCL President Bahadur Bepari and General Secretary Ajay Kar Khokon, inaugurated the council by hoisting the National Flag and releasing pigeons and balloons in festive atmosphere.
The former prime minister claimed that Bangladesh was internationally recognised as a 'model' for moderate and secular states during her five-year rule. But the BNP-Jamaat allinace has now turned it into a terrorist country, she alleged.
The donors 'declined to give any aid' as this government failed to maintain law and order,' she noted. "We cannot accept the way the country's image and dignity are now being damaged."
Hasina said 45 DCC ward commissioner candidates out of the 90 nominated by the BNP-led alliance are 'top terrorists' of the city.
If these terrorists win the polls, what would happen in their respective areas is every body's guess. It seems
the prime minister along with such terrorists has waged a war against the people, she added.
Referring to the government's reported move for gas export, the opposition leader called upon the student community and the people to unitedly resist any such move to 'plunder natural resources' of the country.
The people are now held hostage by corrupt rulers and terrorists, she said and vowed to free the nation from their grip. "Let us build resistance against them and punish them for their misdeeds".
Hasina told the gathering, the present government has resorted to repression on the innocent people because they do not trust it and are looking for a way out of its rule.
The present rulers have set a record of terrorist activities, rape, murder and other crimes, she said.
Terming those in power as 'autocrats', the AL chief said they are repressing the opposition activists in a bid to eliminate Awami League and its front organisations and thus destroy the hard-earned indepencence and democratic order of the society.
She urged the people, specially the students, to take a fresh vow to put an end to autocratic rule. " The day is not far off when we will see an end to the fascist rule of BNP-Jammat led alliance", she said.
Hasina deplored 'distortion of the history of liberation war and dishonouring the father of the nation' under the present government The defeated forces in the liberation war are now actively involved in such acts, she said.
It is the duty of the students and their leaders to speak the truth to the new generation to make them aware of sacrifices of the heroes who liberated the country through a long struggle under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she stressed.
She alleged that pro-government terrorists and police attacked BCL workers in different parts of the country when they were on way to the capital to attend their national.
Hasina recalled the contribution of BCL in the Language Movement, Liberation War and anti-autocracy movement.
Referring to the graft cases against her, the former prime minister said those were intended to throttle the opposition's voice. The awami League government was not involved in any corruption during its tenure, she said.
Presided over by Bahadur Bepari, the inaugural session was also addressed by Ajay Kar Khokon, vice presidents of BCL
Shahabuddin Farazi and Aminul Islam.
The AL leaders present included Abdus Samad Azad, Zillur Rahman, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdul Hamid, Abdur Razzak, Tofael Ahmed, Suranjit Sen Gupta, Abdul Jalil, city mayor Mohammad Hanif, Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Obaidul Kader.