BNP carrying out movement to save a thief: PM

BNP is waging a movement to save a thief who was sentenced to five-year imprisonment by a court for embezzling donation money meant for orphans, said Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina on Thursday.
"BNP Chief landed in jail for stealing money meant for orphans. The party leaders are now gearing up movement for her," the ruling Awami League President while addressing a mammoth rally in Rajshahi city's Madrasa ground.
She sought vote for Awami League election symbol 'boat' in the upcoming general elections and local body polls.
It is the third divisional visit of Sheikh Hasina to mount the ruling party's electoral campaign for the national elections. She started voting campaign from Sylhet on January 30 and sought votes from Barishal city residents on 8 February.
The Prime Minister is slated to visit Khulna on March 03 for the purpose of polls campaign.
She said her government is committed to changing people's fate through development and peace while the BNP-Jamaat believes in atrocity and they did so during their rules.
Sheikh Hasina said: "The boat of Prophet Nuh (SM) saved people from disaster and (our election symbol) boat has given us the independence and the development."
"It is my ardent appeal to you all that you will vote for the boat in the upcoming local government and general elections to continue the current trend of development and spirit of independence."   
Pointing her finger at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the Awami league Chief said: "The Holy Quran also bans embezzling money of the orphans . . . so she is now paying the price and serving jail."
Sheikh Hasina said Khaleda Zia brought funds from abroad in the name of orphans. However, the orphans did not get the donation money in 27 years.
"If anyone fails to overcome greed and misappropriate orphans money how he or she could offer something to people," she said.
Referring to BNP Sheikh Hasina alleged that they had procured marine vessels like Coko 1 and Coko 2, set up Dandy Dyeing Industry and took bank loans of Tk900cr never to return.
"They (BNP) resorted to looting, corruption, terrorism, militancy and even created 'Bangla Bhai'     and thus snatched away peoples' peace."
The Premier said no mayor could do what Awami League's Khairuzzaman Liton did for the development of the old divisional city of Rajshahi though her government also provided sufficient fund to the BNP-supported mayor this time to continue the development campaign.
"We didn't stop development here, but they (BNP mayor and councilors) failed . . . they failed because their minds are always filled with the mindset of looting."
The premier urged people to recall how the unbridled corruption, looting, terrorism, militancy shook the country and particularly Rajshahi region during the BNP tenure.
"This region was turned into a den of terrorists, militants and 'Bangla Bhai'," she said adding that the entire country witnessed the orchestrated serial bombings at 500 points in 2005 alone as BNP "played ducks and drakes with the peoples fate".
It was the court that imprisoned the BNPChief, not the government. Even the case was filed by the last caretaker regime, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her government is trying to provide electricity to every single house by 2021 to meet its goal.  "The Awami League government has taken various prompt and pragmatic steps for the development of the country's power sector to ensure electricity for all. Today, the power generation capacity has risen to 16,000 MW. Around ninety percent people of the country are getting the benefits of electricity," she said.
She said during the BNP-Jamaat regime, the power sector had to witness a horrible situation.
"We have brought a significant change in people's lives. The AL government is providing 64,000 poor people with various allowances.
A total of 2.30cr students are enjoying scholarship while primary and secondary school students getting free textbooks, she said.
Chaired by Rajshahi City Awami League President AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, the public rally was addressed by Awami League Presidium Member Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, AL Advisory Council members Prof Dr. Abdul Khaleq and Prof Syedur Rahman Khan, Joint Secretary Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif, Dr. Dipu Moni, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Abdur Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam and Workers Party General Secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha.
Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the following projects: the four-storey academic building of Bangabandhu Degree College at Boalia, the five-storey academic building of AHM Qamaruzzaman Degree College in Boalia, the four-storey academic building of Damukura Hat College in Paba, the four-storey academic building of Arani Degree College in Bagha, the four-storey academic building of Abdul Karim Government Degree College in Tanore, the four-storey academic building of Baghmara Degree College in Baghmara, the four-storey academic building of Biraldaha College in Puthia, the Chandrima Police Station, Kashiadanga Police Station, Katakhali Police Station, Paba Police Station, Karnahar Police Station, Damukura Police Station, Belpukur Police Station, the Airport Police Station, a rubber dam in the Barnoi river, the Rajshahi (North) Fire Service Station, Rajshahi Naohata Fire Service Station, Engineering and Survey Institute, the extension administrative building and hall room of Godagari Upazila Complex and the office of the Divisional Narcotics Control Department.