No foreign country behind BNP, Jamaat: PM

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said there is no global power behind the BNP-Jamaat nexus as no foreign countries take side with looters.

"They claimed they have (global power). Which power is with them? We want to know. There is no (such global) power with them. No one sides with looters," she said.

Sheikh Hasina made the statement while making her introductory speech in a meeting of the AL’s Central Working Committee (ALCWC) at her official residence--Ganabhaban.

She warned the people regarding the BNP-Jamaat clique, saying that they will just destroy the country and democracy if they return to office again.

"Remain cautious about BNP and Jamaat. They do  not believe in democracy, they will not keep democracy in the country, they will push the country towards destruction," she said.

She requested the people to stay alert against the killers, terrorists, militants, grenade attackers, 10 trucks of firearms smugglers--BNP.

The PM also asked the people to remain alert against the war criminals, killers of intellectuals, rapists and looters--Jamaat.

Sheikh Hasina described the BNP's 1991-96 and 2001-06 regimes as the era of darkness.

She warned that the country will go back to the era of darkness if BNP comes to power.

She heavily criticised the BNP for their efforts to remove the Awami League government and bring in a caretaker government system ahead of the next election, saying that the BNP was prevented from returning to power by the people as they had come to power through vote rigging.

The Prime Minister said the BNP resigned from the government on May 30 in 1996 after coming to power through a farcical election on February 15 in 1996.

Sheikh Hasina said her party protected the country's democracy and they do not need to manipulate to return to power.

"The Awami League works for the welfare of the country and its people and thus wins the hearts of them. It doesn't require vote-rigging for going to power," she said.

The Prime Minister reiterated her call to vote for the Awami League to confirm the country's status as a developing nation by 2026.

Brushing aside the demand of the BNP to restore a neutral caretaker government system in Bangladesh, she questioned: "Why had Khaleda Zia rejected the system in 1996, saying that only insane people and children are neutral?"

"Has the BNP found out the insane people and children to form the caretaker government?”

AL General General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Deputy Leader of the House Begum Matia Chowdhury,  Presidium Members Mosharraf Hossain, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Kazi Zafarullah were on the dais during the meeting.