None raised caretaker govt issue during US, UK visits: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said no one raised the issue of caretaker government during her recent visits to the US and the UK.

While addressing a press conference at her official residence Ganabhaban in the capital on Friday afternoon, she said, “No one talked about caretaker government. There was no talk on the caretaker government system with anyone. No one asked me about it.”

Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Awami League, said: “This [caretaker government] system has been destroyed by BNP.” The press conference was convened to brief the media about the outcome of her joining the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York.

The Prime Minister termed the sudden insistence on holding free, fair and impartial elections in Bangladesh as “suspicious.”

She asked, “Why does so much insistence on a free, fair and impartial election when Bangladesh is making headway economically staying in discipline.”

In an oblique reference to BNP, the prime minister asked, “Who is the opposition in parliament? Is it those who doesn’t have a single seat in parliament? Why should those be called opposition party who can’t go to parliament by contesting in an election. Foreigners don’t regard those as the opposition who bark on the street constantly.”

Referring to the BNP’s allegation that the prime minister has returned from America in empty hands, she said she didn’t want to respond to the allegation of BNP. “I just intend to tell the countrymen that all know how the BNP leaders tells lies holding a mike in hands. It’s their habit to tell lies and undermine everything. I hope that the countrymen will remain cautious about it. Whatever they tell is false. Don’t pay any heed to their lies. Don’t believe what they say. It’s my clarion call to the countrymen.”

In face of questions about the country’s existing foreign exchange reserves, the prime minister said: “If they (civil society members including economists) raise so many questions about foreign exchange reserves, we will shut down everything. Then I will try to see who takes the responsibility. I have readied everything, now they make tall talks. I have lost all including my parents. I have nothing to lose anymore. I took part in processions when I was 15-16 years old. The father of the nation had a dream. I have materialised it. None remains unfed now.”

“Do they know what was the [foreign exchange] reserves when we came to power? Where was Bangladesh and where we have brought it from? We’ve enough reserves to meet our requirements. What is good for us — stay well or reserves? If they want, we will take the reserves to the previous level. We will shut down everything including the the power stations.”

“I directed the state minister [of power] to make somewhat loadshedding of power everyday so that they understand the significance of electricity. Now, everyone is using electricity, but the affluent section of the society is taking advantage of it. Because of it, I have given directive to charge those more who will use electricity more and fix the price accordingly.”

During her stay in New York, the prime minister also signed a “UN Agreement on Deep Sea” to prevent extraction of fishes in large scale from the deep sea and protect marine bio-diversity.

She added that Besides, three agreements and MoUs were signed with Hungary, while another document was signed with Kazakhstan on visa exemption for the diplomatic and official passport holders.

During her stay in Washington DC, Hasina said, she held meeting with National Security Adviser of the US President and took part other programmes as well as gave interview with the Voice of America.

In London, Hasina said she held meetings with some dignitaries including a delegation of the All Party Parliamentary Group led by Rushanara Ali, MP, chair of APPG on Bangladesh and Rohingya and the UK shadow minister for investment and small business.