Awami League president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday directed public representatives to go tough to stop extortion and hoarding.
“Acts of extortion and hoarding must be stopped in all sectors. You are the public representatives of different areas, you have meddle in those areas. You have to remain watchful so that the growers get the actual price for their products. At the same time, you must be vigilant so that the price of goods does not go up because of extortion and hoarding,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina came up with the directives while addressing a special extended meeting of the national committee, central working committee, advisory council, presidents and general secretaries of each district, city, upazila, thana,
municipality, lawmakers of Awami League and independent MPs, mostly rebels, zilla and upazila parishad mayors who have been elected on AL ticket and presidents and general secretaries of central committee of AL associate bodies, at her official residence Ganabhaban.
Terming the gathering as an august one after the 12th general elections, which were held in a free, fair and neutral manner, the AL president also asked the leaders to address internal feuds by forgetting the pains of defeat in the polls.
Intra-party feud has been surfacing in many areas following the AL’s decision of allowing the grassroots leaders to contest in the January 7 parliamentary elections.
Taking the opportunity, independent candidates, mostly grassroots leaders of the AL, vied in the polls for 181 seats out of 299 seats and as many as 62 independent candidates became victorious, defeating the AL-backed candidates, resulting in acts of violence in many areas.
Over the intra-party feud, the AL president directed the leaders to resolve the problems.
“A sense of commotion has been brewing up following our decision of contesting the polls keeping both the party and independent candidates in the polls. You have to forget that chapter. You must work together by keeping the confidence and trust in the people,” she said.
“If any kind of problem arises, we are here to solve them. You must be aware to avert any kind of internal clash,” she added.
Giving an explanation in favour of the party’s decision to allow the independent candidates, Sheikh Hasina said the country’s democracy would be snatched away.
“If the election is not open for all, it would not only have made the elections questionable, but also snatch away the country’s democracy. The country’s developing status would have been marred,” she added.
Hinting at the party leaders and public representatives, the AL president said she made the election open for the party men as there were no alternatives.
“I have made the field open so that voters turn up at the polling booths in a festive mood,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her government made the Election Commission completely independent by executing 81 reform proposals.
“We have done it so that the Election Commission can work neutrally. It is the Awami League which possesses such courage. That’s why the election was held in a free, fair and neutral manner,” she said.
The premier was critical of some local and foreign quarters for trying to raise questions over the elections.
“Some local and foreign quarters are saying that the elections were not free and fair. They must come up with evidence about in which places elections were not held in a free and fair manner,” she said.
The premier said many were against the free and fair elections so that they could make the elections questionable and impose sanctions.
Expressing her stance on sanctions, she said, “I also said that we can also impose the sanctions. As I know everything on the imposition of sanctions, I have said so,” she said.
The AL president said that conspiracies were hatched centering the polls so that the AL could not assume office.
“Obstacles have been created. But the people are our strength. As they (People) want us in power, we have assumed office, braving all the obstacles,” she said.
Referring to the two previous elections, Sheikh Hasina said they (BNP-Jamaat) tried to foil the elections in 2014 while facing defeat after contesting the polls in 2018.
“They carried out evil attempts to foil the polls this time too. They are still jumping….but it will not yield any result as the people are with us,” she said.
