Hasina calls for oust-govt movement

Addressing a public meeting at Chapainawabganj Government College ground on the second leg of her three-day tour of three northern districts, Hasina said public life is insecure under the rule of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who she termed the "godmother of terrorists".

"They (the government) are out to eliminate the Awami League by killing our leaders and workers one after another," she said.

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Pointing to the ministers in charge of different districts, the AL chief said those "appointed godfathers" have unleashed a reign of terror.

Hasina warned the government of dire consequences for adopting what she said repressive measures against her party men and framing them in false cases.

She said ordinary citizens cannot hope for justice from a government that reinstated the killers of the father of the nation to public service.

The former prime minister said prices of essentials rose steadily since the four-party alliance government took office and the proposed budget failed to give any guidelines to rein in the upward trend.

Criticising the budget, the AL chief said it imposed additional taxes of Tk 5,100 crore on the public but slashed the size of the Annual Development Programme.

She also accused the government of misappropriating Tk 5,000 crore from the development budget of fiscal 2002-03.

About Jamaat-e-Islami, a partner in the alliance government, Hasina said Jamaat talks about Islam but keeps mum when duty on alcohol is reduced.

Turning on the Bogra ammunition haul, she said even a lunatic will not believe that a poor man who can hardly afford two square meals a day could deal in huge amounts of ammunition and explosives.

The opposition chief observed that the ammunition and explosives could not enter the country without government patronisation.

AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil, Mohammad Nasim and Motia Chowdhury also addressed the meeting.

Earlier, Hasina inaugurated the district AL office in town. She will address a public meeting at Rajshahi city today.