The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Friday sought cooperation of all in foiling all conspiracies and consolidating democracy for the welfare of the country's people.

"I seek your cooperation, I need your help. Conspiracies are on. Foil all conspiracies and consolidate democracy for your welfare," she told a big May Day rally at historic Paltna Maidan in the afternoon amidst tight security.

In her 20-minute maiden public address after formation of her government on January 6, Hasina said the Awami League government does not believe in revenge and vendetta, as it wants to run the country keeping people in peace.

She announced that minimum wages for workers would be fixed in commensurate with market prices. A 60-member Tripartite Consultative Committee with representatives from owners, workers and administration will be formed to protect the interests of all sides and boost production and export. Twenty representatives from workers will be there in the Committee.

The Prime Minister also declared that labour laws would be amended in accordance with ILO Conventions to protect the rights of industrial workers ensuring their food, medical treatment, accommodation and education for their children.

She said instruction has already been given to increase the service years of workers and employees to 60 and steps have been taken to train the workers who will go abroad with jobs.

She reiterated that a bank for expatriate workers would be set up so workers can go abroad by taking loans from this bank without selling their property and repay the loans from their salaries.

"Our farmers and workers have always been subject to pangs and pains. The fate of this toiling people has not changed. Only a few people have made their fortunes," Hasina deplored.

She asserted: "This cannot be accepted that some will eat and some remain starved in independent Bangladesh. Every citizen will have equal rights and we'll establish the rights of day-labourers."

The Prime Minister assured that like garment workers, other industrial workers will be brought under rationing system in phases. She said her government pulled down the prices of rice and other commodities, and the prices would be made stable within the buying capacity of the commoners.

Hasina said her government has fixed the prices of Boro paddy and rice to procure 12 lakh metric tons of paddy and rice this Boro season so farmers could get back their production costs.

On reopening mills and factories, the Prime Minister said Chittagong Chemical Complex was reopened and steps are being taken to reopen closed mills and factories in the industrial town of Khulna.

She said the closed mills and factories across the country would be reopened and the ownership of workers would be ensured in those factories.

About power and water crises, the Prime Minister blamed the previous BNP-Jamaat alliance rule for creating the crises, alleging that not a single MW of electricity was added to the national grid during their regime.

She alleged that Tk 20,000 crores were looted from the power sector and smuggled out the money, but no power plant was set up except "Khamba" (electricity poles) now left abandoned. Amidst cheers she said the looted money of the people must be returned to people.

Hasina said her previous government had undertaken a number power and water treatment plants, but the BNP-Jamaat regime did not implement a single project resulting in today's power and water crises. "They were busy amassing illegal wealth without solving the people's problems."

She, however, assured that her government would resolve the problems but it would take time. "You know electricity can not be produced overnight. We're taking steps and Inshallah, we'll solve the problem."

The Prime Minister also mentioned the killing of 18 farmers and 17 workers during the four-party alliance rule in the month of Ramdan for demanding fertilizers and minimum wages.

Making a flashback on her nearly four months' rule, the Prime Minister said she had to solve many problems and unwarranted incident. She said the BDR mutiny has been tackled peacefully through discussions. Otherwise, she said, the country would have headed towards a civil war with more bloodshed as rebellion took place in 33 BOPs of 12 Sectors outside the BDR Headquarters at Pilkhana.

Hasina said 57 army officers were killed at the BDR Headquarters during the Feb 25-26 mutiny and 43 officers could be saved.

She rebuked the opposition saying that her opponents did not like the peaceful solution to the problem. "They wanted a civil war, more bloods and more bodies. "Words and statements of the opposition suggest that they would have been happy had the country headed towards a civil war, resulting in more bloodshed and bodies. They always wanted confrontation," she told the rally.

The Prime Minister also blamed the BNP-Jamaat rule for creating militancy, killing people and tarnishing the image of the country abroad. She said involvement of BNP ministers and leaders in the August 21 grenade attacks and 10 truckloads of arms were founded in investigations.

"BNP-Jamaat could not give anything to people barring corruption, terrorism, militancy and grenade attacks," she said, adding people gave their appropriate reply to their misrule through the Dec 29 general election.

Presided over by Sramik League president Abdul Matin Master, the rally was addressed, among others, by Awami League leader Abdur Razzak, Labour Ministry Eng Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, State Minister for Labour Munnujan Sufian, Dhaka City AL leader Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Sramik League leader Roy Ramesh Chndra.

Earlier, the Prime Minister attended a meeting hosted by the Ministry of Labour in observance of May Day at Osmani Auditorium.

Addressing the meeting, she said the country's industrial sector was vibrant during their five-year tenure from 1996-2001. "If you look at Khulna region, it'll be enough to realize how vibrant the sector was at that time," she said.

She lamented that the immediate-past BNP-Jamaat coalition government came up with a mission of shutting down mills and factories which ultimately made thousands of labourers jobless.

"We're yet to complete four months into office but facing problems one after another. However, we're heading towards a sound economy by handling the crises peacefully," Hasina said.

She said the current government is determined to keep the country's economy vibrant. "You know, a taskforce has already been formed to tackle the global financial downswing," she said.

The Prime Minister emphasized good relationship between workers and owners to maintain peace in mills and factories apart from enhancing production.