Prime Minister Khaleda Zia sought a fresh people's mandate through the upcoming elections for advancing the roadmap of development, welfare and peace in her next term.
"Elections will be held in time and we will hand over power to caretaker government after two months. Take a correct decision and vote for BNP and its alliance to maintain development, welfare and peace," she told a public meeting at Chhatak High School ground, amidst inclement weather, this (Wednesday) afternoon.
Appearing critical of Awami League and its past rule, Khaleda said the BNP is pursuing politics of development and welfare of the people while "another party is engaged in politics of chaos".
"Whenever BNP came to power, the country witnessed development and the economy got strengthened, bringing about a change in the lot of the commoners," she told the gathering.
In her 20-minute speech the Prime Minister listed development works in different sectors, starting from infrastructure development to women education, saying that the government has worked for all classes of people.
She said the government provided subsidy to agriculture sector and supplied fuel at lower prices despite price hike on the international market. The agriculture subsidy has yielded increased harvests.
The Prime Minister announced that if returned to power, her government would make female education free up to Degree level. "Already our girls are getting educated in large numbers, which is being appreciated by foreigners…If we return to power, we will make the female education free up to Degree level," she told the meeting.
Khaleda observed that, while in power, Awami League could not do any development and welfare work rather presented the people with "terrorism, corruption and anarchy".
Claiming that her government fulfilled its commitment to fight out terrorism, she said recently a group had resorted to terrorism by misinterpreting Islam, but the government had contained it, arresting many of them. "The remaining terrorists will also be arrested."
The Prime Minister urged the people to vote for the BNP-led alliance in 2007 as they did in 2001 to complete the development works initiated by the government.
Braving rain and inclement weather people listened to Prime Minister Khaleda's speech.
Presided over by Chhatak BNP president Abdus Shahid, the meeting was also addressed by Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman, Communications Minister Barrister Nazmul Huda, PM's Political secretary Harris Chowdhury, Privatization Board chairman Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, Whip Fazlul Huq Aspia MP, Kalimuddin Milan MP and Shahinur Pasha MP.
Earlier, the PM laid the foundation stone of Chhatak Dowara Bazar bridge over the Surma River. The 402-meter bridge will be constructed in two years at an estimated cost of Tk 20 crore.
