Don't worry about conspiracies before next election: PM

Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina has today said there is no worry about national and international conspiracies ahead of the next general election as the countrymen always stand by her party.

"Next election is ahead. National and international conspiracies are being hatched centering next polls. But, we have nothing to worry as the people are always beside us with their mandates," she said.

The prime minister was exchanging views with Tungipara Upazila Awami League, its associate and affiliated organisations, local public representatives and civil dignitaries at the Tungipara Upazila AL office this morning.

About repeated attempts to her life, Sheikh Hasina said they have reached today's position confronting bullets and bombs.

She said Almighty Allah has given a task to every person and protect him or her until the work is accomplished.

"Allah is above and the leaders and activists of my party on the ground to save. The people belongs to my party always protect me whenever I am attacked," she said.

Pointing to the grenade attacks on the AL rally on August 21, 2004 killing 22 leaders and activists, she said the party men had saved her forming a human shield in exchange for their lives.

"This is the great thing that I have got the chance to serve the people," she added.

The prime minister arrived here yesterday afternoon after opening the Dhaka-Bhanga Rail Link at Mawa, Munshiganj end and addressing a grand rally at Dr Kazi Abu Yusuf Stadium at Bhanga in Faridpur.

Soon after the premier along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana reached Tungipara, Gopalganj, she paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his mausoleum and offered prayers and fateha there.

She spent last night at Tungipara and is scheduled to leave for Dhaka this afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina said her government is working to materialise the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to change the fate of the countrymen by giving them an improved and better life.

"I am doing everything possible for the welfare of the people," she said.

She thanked the people of her Tungipara-Kotalipary constituency for electing her time and again through votes despite she has not been able to give them adequate time as she has to look into the welfare of entire country.

"The people of the country and leaders and activists of my party is my relatives after I lost my near and dear ones," she said.

"It had not been possible to be successful if the near and dear ones wouldn’t stay beside me," she said.

Against the backdrop of the global economic recession and food crisis, the prime minister asked the countrymen and the AL leaders and activists to increase the production of food grains.

"Bring very inch of land under cultivation to increase food production. We have to grow our own food," she said.