The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the people to cast their votes without fear for the candidate of their choice.

Hasina made this call while addressing a public meeting at Lalbagh organised by AL candidate for Dhaka-7 Dr. Mostafa Jalal Mahiuddin.

She asserted that the December 29 elections would be a milestone of fighting terrorism, corruption and militancy.

Hasina also claimed that BNP enjoys nursing terrorism and militancy. "So everyone must be alert so that the evil sector cannot rig the election and manipulate the election result.

Hasina brushed aside the possibility of the victory of BNP-Jamaat alliance saying, "In the last election at 2001, they included at least one crore extra voters in the list but this time these fake names have been deleted from the new photo-based voter list. So, it is impossible for them to win, as all the fake voters have been dropped from the list." She thanked the caretaker government and the military for the photo-based voter list.

Hasini also termed the BNP candidate for the same constituency Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu corrupt and money plunderer and said, " All of you know the BNP candidate and his past. In 1994, after the mayoral election, according to his direction, a number of murders were committed in Lalbagh."

Then she asked the people, " Now it is your decision whether you will vote a terror or a gentleman like Md. Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin."

Hasina reminded the people that after 2001, there had not been any development in the Lalbagh area and the promised water treatment plant did not see the light of the day.

At the rally Dhaka city AL president MA Aziz, Acting General Secretary Advocate Kamrul Islam and AL central Deputy Publicity Secretary Asim Kumar Ukil, among others, were present in the meeting. Later Sheikh Hasina addressed another rally at Nababganj Pilot High Shool in favour of Abdul Mannan Khan for Dhaka-1 constituency.

There the AL chief promised to the people to construct a modern road linking Nababganj with Dhaka city through setting up a bridge over the Turag River.

"The BNP-Jamaat government plundered hundreds of crores of takas keeping the country's people in hunger. Their rampant corruption has badly tarnished the country's image in the international arena," she told the rally.

Hasina urged the people to cast their votes for the grand alliance candidates to protect the country from 'looters'.

She also expressed concern that the BNP-Jamaat alliance was trying to buy votes with their black money and asked the people not to sell their votes.

Hasina addressed another meeting at Dohar Joypara Boromath in Dhaka-1 and another wayside meeting at Ruhitpur in Keraniganj on her way back to Dhaka.