The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Former Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday assured the delegates of Child Parliament, an NGO working for preserving child rights, to take up massive child development schemes, if AL was voted to power.

Sheikh Hasina's deputy information secretary Mahbubul Haque Shakil quoted her as assuring the NGO representatives at Sudha Sadan in Dhanmondi.

She assured the delegates of initiatives for the betterment of children's education and livelihood, adopting effective measures to curb child-labour and providing free education to graduation level for all, if AL was voted to power. A group of delegates led by Sultana Selim Nishi, met with Shekh Hasina and handed the Child Parliament's written resolutions recorded at its sixth session to her during the hour-long meeting.

Talking to reporters Shakil said, "Sheikh Hasina is against the practice of keeping children standing along the roads on different occasions for greeting the VIPs including the president, ministers and ambassadors."

Quoting Sheikh Hasina, Shakil said, " If we resume office, such practices will be totally shunned. A corner of the national assembly will be kept reserved for the child observers during parliament sessions."

About Sheikh Hasina's assurance, Nargis Akter Ronnie of children parliament said, "She (Hasina) said children must not be involved in politics. She assured us that she would tell all AL supporters across the country not to involve children in any activities related to the upcoming elections.