<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said that&nbsp; denocracy in Bangladesh is practiced&nbsp; only by her pary Awami League which has a history of holding free elections.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Awami League practices the democratic system and fair democratic practices prevail during Awami League regime,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prime minister, now on a four-day official visit to Japan, said this while speaking at a civic reception at Westin Hotel here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said all elections under the Awami League regime were held fairly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this connection, Hasina said the President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid made history by completing his two terms peacefully.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This has been the first time in the history of the country where the outgoing president and the new president could complete all related procedure peacefully. This is a democratic process,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Awami League chief said that former military dictator Ziaur Rahman destroyed the election process during his military regime. The process continued by another military ruler HM Ershad and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She mentioned that there was no political stability in 29 years out of 50 years of Bangladesh after the assassinations of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“There was no democratic process and there was no democratic rule of law in those days” she stated.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She slammed those who fail to see democracy and development in the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hasina said that opposition BNP's history is so tarnished that it has no face to take part in elections.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said that in 2008 election BNP-Jamaat alliance got only 30 seats while AL-led grand alliance bagged all other seats.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“For that reason they (BNP-Jamaat) did not take part in 2014 election,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Referring the arson terrorism by BNP-Jamaat nexus in 2013-15, she said that they killed at least 500 people and destroyed many government and private establishments.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Now how could they participate in the election and seek votes from the people?,” she questioned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She urged all to remain alert so the country remain s free from militancy, terrorism and drugs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PM said there are some people who do not see democracy in the country and they have been favouring those who violated human rights and concealed bodies after killing people.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said they could not even file a case after the assassination of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with her mother and brothers as the killers were indemnified from charges and trial.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The killers had got a gift instead of punishment,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prime minister said two killers of Bangabandhu are now staying in the USA and Canada, adding that they have repeatedly requested the governments of the two countries to send back the killers to Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But, they do not pay heed to the request,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pointing at the USA, she said, “Giving killers (of Bangabandhu) shelters in their own country, they are talking of humanity in Bangladesh.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hasina said her government has done everything possible to stop the culture of impunity in Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She called upon the expatriate Bangladeshis to invest in Bangladesh saying that they have taken measures for attracting foreign investments to the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Referring to establishing 100 economic zones across the country, she said those who have interest can invest in the economic zones.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She also suggested Bangladeshis also invest in Bangladesh as It will be better to invest with a Japanese partner.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Referring to the suffering of the people across the globe due to global economic recession because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the prime minister said her government has taken every possible measure so that the citizens won't have to suffer at least for food.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She asked all to bring every inch of land under cultivation as Bangladesh needs not depend on any country for food.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PM said her government has been working to bring every person under the housing scheme following the footprints of Bangabandhu to make sure that none will remain homeless and landless across the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“No one in the country will remain homeless and landless in the country,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Spelling out her government’s measures for the overall development of Bangladesh, the premier said Bangladesh has completely changed in the last 14 years in terms of socio-economic uplift.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PM vowed to transform Bangladesh into a developed, prosperous and Smart Bangladesh by 2041.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen was present on the dais while Ambassador of Bangladesh to Japan Shahabuddin Ahmed gave welcome address at the function. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>