The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Jamalpur

Immediate-past premier Khaleda Zia, continuing with her physically exacting nonstop cross-country electioneering trying to get back to power, yesterday urged the people to guard polling centres on December 29 so none could rig the elections and remake the results.

"Voting for the sheaf of paddy won't be enough…You must guard your polling centres until you get the result sheets so none can rig the polls," she told an election rally at Singhajani High School ground in support her party nominees for five seats in this northern district.

The BNP chairperson bitterly criticized her archrival Awami League for what she said patronizing terrorism and corruption. She alleged that terrorist activities spread alarmingly during the mid-period of their 1996-2001 rule. "People were held hostage for extortion, rail tracks were uprooted and people killed with gunpowder," she said.

"When they were in power, their leader pledged not to call hartal. But, after losing election, they again resorted to hartal and practiced politics of arson and assassination," she said in her tirade.

"Bangladesh was made champion of corruption during their rule and people cannot expect good work from such a party," she told her audience.

The BNP leader was also critical of the Awami League for banding with Ershad's Jatiya Party. She reminded that the Awami League broke promise made in public by joining parliament elections under Ershad in 1986 and was branded as 'national betrayer'.

Seeking vote for the sheaf of paddy, Khaleda said country's independence, sovereignty and people are safe under BNP rule. She reiterated her pledges to cut down prices of essential commodities and agriculture inputs, including fertilizer and diesel.

The former Prime Minister also pledged to implement her previous government's plan to check river erosion in the northern region.

Khaleda introduced Saida Akhtar Rita from Jamalpur-1, Sultan Mahmud Babu from Jamalpur-2, Mustafizur Rahman Babul from Jamalpur-3, Faizul Kabir Talukdar from Jamalpur-4 and Sirajul Huq from Jamalpur-5.