AL won’t tolerate outside whipping to stay in power: PM

PM Sheikh Hasina.

Dhaka, Nov 26 - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said Awami League doesn't want to cling to power by flattering anyone outside the country as the people are its strength.

"We have no other guardian other than the people of the country. -- being  a  daughter of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I'm not doing the politics of sycophancy to stay in power," she said.

Hasina, also the president of ruling Awami League, said this while exchanging views with 3,369 people who had sought her party’s tickets for January 7 parliamentary polls at her official residence Ganabhaban.

PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting held at the Ganabhaban.

Hasina, also chairman of the AL Parliamentary Board, said that people of the country attained independence through huge sacrifice and bloodshed under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

"This soil is ours. No whipping from outside will be tolerated. We are not dependent on others as the people are our strength" she said.

Briefly describing the measures taken by her government in the last 15 years for the socio-economic development of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina said the people have got peace and wellbeing as the Awami League has been in power.

"The development will be continued if the people of the country voted the Awami League to power again," she added.

Sheikh Hasina said being the prime minister and daughter of Bangabandhu she works for all irrespective of party affiliation.

The development of the country is now visible because her party has been in power for the three consecutive terms through democratic process, she pointed out. 

The nomination board finalised the names of the party’s candidates for 300 seats in three sittings from November 23 to 25.-UNB