This appears to be the official version of what Hasina said but which is no less offensive -
Remain alert so that allies of defeated forces can't come to power again, PM urges people
DHAKA, March 27 (BSS)- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called upon the people to remain alert so that the allies and collaborators of the defeated forces in 1971 cannot come to power again and play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people.
Addressing a discussion on the 42nd Independence and National Day, the Prime Minister also said the trial of war criminals has started and her government would complete it.
"The trial of the 1971 culprits is not a matter of a day. If needed, the trial will continue generation after generation after finding out them," she said referring to the trial of war criminals of the World War-II.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has initiated the process of the trial and it would take necessary measures so that the trial of the war criminals is held in future too.
Bangladesh Awami League arranged the discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre with senior Presidium member of the party Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair.
AL Advisory Council Member Suranjit Sengupta, Presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Abdul Latif Siddiqui, AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Organizing Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, newly-elected General Secretary of Supreme Court Bar Association Momtazuddin Mehedi, Acting President of Dhaka City Awami League MA Aziz and General Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya also addressed the discussion.
Referring to Bangladesh's success in various fields including the just-concluded Asia Cup Cricket, Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has almost won the final against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
In this connection, she expressed utter surprise about the presence of BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia at the stadium during the final of Asia Cup Cricket. "We did not see her present in any match in the past. So my question is what prompted her to be such an avid cricket fan and to encourage whom, she had gone to the stadium?" she asked, adding that discussion is going on among the people about the matter.
The Prime Minister lamented that the nation could not achieve its desired development and progress as the defeated forces ruled the country most of the time.
"The defeated forces have no responsibility for the country and they do not think about the welfare of the people," she said.
The Prime Minister said Awami League has brought the independence and it would ensure economic freedom of the people.
"We have liberated the country in exchange of a sea of blood and we have been working hard to ensure food, social safety,
education and health of the people," she said.
Comparing the rule of BNP with Awami League, Sheikh Hasina said the country gets many awards when AL comes to power. "On the other hand, the country is rebuked when BNP comes to power, and it is the difference between the two parties."
She said Awami League comes to power to serve the people and give them something. On the other hand, BNP comes to power for committing corruption, plundering public money, resorting to terrorism and spreading militancy.
The Prime Minister said the country was turned into a safe heaven for terrorists and militants during the rule of the past BNP-Jamaat alliance government.
"The country's image was tarnished due to unbridled corruption of two sons of Khaleda Zia," she said, adding that Hong Kong government had seized their illegal money, while their corruption has been proved in the US Federal Court and Canadian Court.
Highlighting various successes of the present government in different fields including agriculture, education, health, power, and women empowerment, Sheikh Hasina said employment has been generated for 68 lakh people in private sector, while 4.50 lakh people got jobs in public sector.
The Prime Minister said the country generated a record 6,065 megawatts of electricity on the day of the Asia Cup final. The country's foreign exchange reserves have crossed 10 billion US dollars from six billion dollars in the last three years, she added.
About the development of the education sector, she said students are getting textbooks on the first day of the year, while a time-befitting education policy has been framed.
Referring to the victory against Myanmar in the International Tribunal of the Law on the Sea, Sheikh Hasina said her government would bring the same results for the country regarding the maritime boundary dispute with India, if Awami League gets scope for formation of the government again.
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