Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the next national election is drawing nearer and the Election Commission is likely to announce the polls schedule in a day or two.  

“Since we have been able to establish the voting rights of the people, they will cast their votes freely,” she said in a confident voice.    

The prime minister was speaking at a function marking the inauguration of 10,041 infrastructures (involving a total cost of nearly Tk100,000 crore) throughout the country under 157 projects of 24 ministries and divisions through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganabhaban.

The beneficiaries were connected to the event virtually from a total of 101 places, including 64 DC offices throughout the country. The total estimated cost of the projects is Tk97,471 crore. 

Noting that Bangladesh has gained the status of a developing country, she said the continuation of the government is essential to sustain this momentum.

Without mentioning the name of BNP, she took a swipe at the opposition party saying it does not want to join the upcoming 12th parliamentary elections, fearing its performance could be as bad as in the 2008 polls.

In the 2008 election, Awami League gained a landslide victory with 233 seats out of 300 constituencies, while BNP won only 30 seats.

“Those who secured only 30 seats will have no desire to run the election. They are attempting to invite suffering for the people of Bangladesh creating an abnormal situation by foiling the election,” she said, not mentioning the name of BNP. In the 2008 vote, BNP secured 29 seats and later added another in a by-election.

She said Awami League also won the 2014 election overcoming arson violence and attempts to foil the vote.

“We have come [to power] being elected by the people time and again. Awami League never formed the government by any other means but the democratic way.”

All the electoral reforms – from enactment of a law over constitution of Election Commission to introduction of transparent ballot boxes — were done following Awami League’s proposals only to ensure the people’s voting rights.

Sheikh Hasina said her government started the development of Bangladesh from the grassroots level so that the people could enjoy urban facilities even while staying in villages.   

The prime minister said the blockade programme and arson violence have been launched when the people are living in peace and the country is witnessing its rapid progress. 

The normal life of the people and the academic activities of the students particularly those who are sitting for the annual examinations are hampered due to the arson violence, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has increased the literacy rate to 76.6% now from only 45% during the BNP government of 2001-06.

She wished that good sense would prevail upon them and they would stop this destruction and arson violence.

The prime minister, however, asked the countrymen to resist this arson violence for the sake of protecting their own lives and assets.

Among the infrastructures, the prime minister unveiled foundation stones of or opened 4,644 infrastructures under different projects as well as distributed 5,397 houses, constructed under Ashrayan-2 project at 132 upazilas in 46 districts, among landless and homeless families across the country.

At the event, the prime minister declared 11 more districts and 60 upazilas as landless and homeless-free units following the distribution of the Ashrayan houses on Tuesday.

A total of 32 districts and 394 upazilas have so far become landless and homeless family-free ones.

The 4,644 infrastructures include 2,023 government primary school building, 1,800 madrasah buildings, 299 academic and 40 administrative buildings under Technical and Madrasah Education Division, 952 academic-cum-research building under Secondary and Higher Education Division, 12 student dormitory buildings, 222 disaster management centres, 128 chief judicial magistrate buildings, sub-register office building in 46 districts, 110 flood shelter centres, 25 Mujib Killa, 20 bridges, 22 complexes under the social  welfare ministry, 34 buildings under the Health Services Division, seven student mess, 16 dormitories, 23 ICU, 79 community clinics, 46 medical college buildings, 24 nursing college buildings, tennis infrastructural development in 25 districts, 13 Krira (sports) School Bhaban, 26 BKSP training centres, 20 child daycare centres, 38 SPM with double pipelines, constructions of 10 gas pipelines, instalment of 26 refining units , 24 mine digging, 140 gas plant purchase and instalment, construction of 33 pipelines, 18 infrastructures of Sheikh Hasina Textile Engineering College, 11 textile institute infrastructures, 40 technical training centres and 14 Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centre buildings.

PM’s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah conducted the event.