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Breach of people's trust won't be tolerated

Hasina warns AL leaders, workers

Staff Correspondent
Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina yesterday issued a warning to the ruling party leaders and workers saying breach of public confidence or any other unjust behaviour by her party members will not be tolerated.
Addressing the inaugural session of AL's national council held in the capital with festivity, Hasina. who was later re-elected the party chief without a contest, urged leaders and workers of all levels to work for the welfare of the people, and to remain vigilant in ensuring that every single paisa of the government coffer is spent for the people.
"We want to lead the country towards devel-
opment and prosperity. It's not only the government's responsibility, it is also the responsibility of every leader and worker of Bangladesh Awami League,” said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who formed the country's cabinet on January 6 this year after leading her party into a landslide victory in the last parliamentary poll.
The AL chief also criticised those leaders of her party who turned 'reformists' during the immediate past caretaker government's regime to 'sideline Hasina in the party'. She said some of the party leaders 'joined hands with conspirators' to push her out of politics.
"Not everyone has the same moral courage. They (reformists] might have surrendered to undue pressure and could not stand strong," Hasina said referring to the role played by the 'reformist leaders' during the immediate past caretaker emergency regime, amid applause of the councillors.
Council sources said after her re-election as the president of AL, Hasina told a closed door session of the council that with the council's permission she holds no grudge against those party members who had made 'mistakes in the past'.
In the inaugural speech she said all must work together to change the fate of the people, since that was why they cast their votes for AL. "It's now our turn to do something for the country. Wc must maintain public confidence. Every leader and worker must serve the people with patience and honesty," Hasina, who has been leading AL since 1980, told her party colleagues.
She said public trust and confidence are great assets for a political party and the party's leaders and workers must stay vigilant to safeguard that.
Hasina had issued a similar warning to parry lawmakers and the newly formed council of ministers after AL's ascension to power, and issued similar directives to party leaders, particularly to grassroots level leaders, during her first mammoth gathering following her party's victory in the parliamentary election.
Referring to AL’s election manifesto the 'Charter for Change', the premier urged her party members to take oath on the occasion of its national council to work for change towards building a digital Bangladesh, and to be ready for any sacrifice for that purpose.
Giving a brief description of torture and repression of AL leaders and workers by the last BNP-led government, Hasina asked her party colleagues to be tolerant to others while in power, and not to exact revenge for the years of persecution.
"We want a permanent end 'td the confrontational politics. We want to make the parliament the focal point of all activities to establish a real parliamentary democracy in the country," Hasina, also the leader of the House, said from a lectern shielded by bullet proof glass.
In her 45-minute speech, the premier highlighted her government's achievements in various sectors, and the difficulties it faced since assumption of power. She also described her government's future plans to build a digital Bangladesh by 2021 in line with her party’s vision 2021 which drew huge public attention before the last parliamentary election.
She came down heavily on the immediate past caretaker government for its attempt to force her quit politics as part of its 'minus two formula', and for its 'drive against politics in the name of curbing corruption'.
"There was an attempt to destroy Awami League during the rules of BNP-Jamaat alliance, and the caretaker government. But those attempts were foiled by the active role played by innumerable leaders and work ers," Hasina said lauding the role of grassroots level leaders in the aftermath of the 1/11 regime change in the country.
"When I was detained in prison, attempts were made to push me out of politics. There were conspiracies. When I was abroad, warrants were Issued in cases filed against me," she said.
"I was barred from returning to the country. I was told that I would be shot dead at the airport, but 1 said if I was to die then I would rather die on the soil of my country,'' Hasina recalled.
She thanked AL workers, non-resident Bangladeshis, and foreign friends for their support to her fight to return home.
Hasina said she never bowed before injustice. She will go on struggling for the people of Bangladesh. "I only desire the love of the people, " she said.
She said she was offered to become the prime minister on condition that she would not contest in the last parliamentary election. But I declined the offer since 1 want to be with die people, she said.
Hasina also said she has become old, and urged the people to judge leniently the past mistakes she might have made in her long political career.
Earlier in the morning, Hasina inaugurated the council at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, by hoisting the national and party flags amid a security detail unprecedented for a political party's national council. The council session started with the slogan '60 years of struggle and success', and with a visible commitment to building a digital Bangladesh.
Leaders of AL-led grand alliance components, leaders of business and professional bodies, heads of religious institutions, intellectuals, cultural personalities, envoys of different cournrh’i. ancHhd social elites of thecapital also attended the inaugural ceremony of the country's oldest and largest political party's national council.