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‘BNP out to foil election’
FROM PAGE 16
“Give them [arsonists] a good lesson so that no one dares to harm any citizen of the country. Such incidents must not be allowed to happen again.”
Hasina, also the AL president, asked the leaders and activists of her party and its associate bodies to protect the people with the help of the law enforcement agencies.
The PM said the country sees development and the people’s welfare is ensured whenever the AL comes to power.
She said the only “virtue” of the BNP-Jamaat is killing people. She mentioned the incidents of October 28, including beating up of a cop to death in the capital.
The PM said the “BNP-Jamaat terrorists” injured 45 police personnel and attacked journalists who were covering their programmes.
She said the government has already declared a reward of Tk 20,000 for nabbing arsonists and handing them over to law enforcers. “We will not spare anyone involved in killing people through arson attacks.”
Hasina said the continuation of the democratic process in the country is helping it achieve massive development, which is visible to all.
The premier requested all to vote for the AL in the parliamentary polls to enable it to serve the country and its people and continue the development of the country.
Talking about the unrest in the RMG sector, the PM said given the inflation, the salary of the government employees has been increased by only 5 percent, but the wage of the garment workers has been hiked by 56 percent.
“Why should there be a complaint? A total of 19 factories have been damaged. Who are doing this? It is necessary to find them out,” she said.
Mentioning that the RMG workers’ minimum wage has been fixed at Tk 12,500, she said although the garment sector is a private sector, the government has hiked the workers’ wage through discussions with the factory owners.
Regarding the introduction of the universal pension scheme, Hasina urged all to register for it.
The premier inaugurated 24 development projects, involving Tk 2,593 crore, and laid the foundation stones for another five schemes from the rally venue.
AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader and party leaders Sheikh Helal Uddin, Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel and Sheikh Sharhan Naser Tonmoy also spoke at the programme, chaired by Khulna City Corporation Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque, also the Khulna AL president.

Polls schedule
FROM PAGE 16
rounds of blockades.
The ruling Awami League and the BNP have been sticking to their guns on the election-time government.
The BNP wants a caretaker government to oversee the election and reconstitution of the EC, while the AL says the election will be held under the current government as per the constitution.
As part of the preparation for the schedule announcement, the commission met President Mohammed Shahabuddin on November 9. It also held meetings with Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan and the heads of the law enforcement agencies and ministries.