DHAKA, Aug 12, 2023 (BSS) – Prime Minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina today said there is no international support in favour of BNP as the party has already been branded as a forum of looters.

She said this in her introductory speech in the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) meeting at Ganabhaban here this evening.

The Prime Minister urged the countrymen to stay alert against all conspiracies of BNP and Jamaat as they are out to frustrate democracy and destroy the country.

"Stay alert against the killers, terrorists, militants, grenade attackers, 10-truck firearms smugglers as they are making all out efforts to destroy the country," she said.

“Despite the BNP is talking about the democracy, the party has no faith in democracy,” the prime minister said, adding that "BNP only knows how to destroy the country.”

AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader conducted the meeting.

AL Presidium Members- Deputy Leader of the House Begum Matia Chowdhury,  Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Kazi Zafarullah, were present.

Describing BNP's 1991-96 and 2001-06 as the era of darkness, Sheikh Hasina alerted the countrymen that the country will again go back to the era of darkness if BNP comes to power.

"The country will go backward if once BNP comes to power," she said.

Sheikh Hasina came down heavily on the BNP for demonstrating to oust the Awami League government and hold election under caretaker government despite they were overthrown from the power by the people for assuming office through vote rigging.

"How does BNP talk about election as it had been ousted from the power because of vote rigging?" she posed a question.

The Premier said BNP has resigned from the government on May 30, 1996 after coming to power through a farcical election on February 15, 1996.

Her party, she said, has protected the country's democracy and they don't need to vote rigging to assume power.

"Awami League works for welfare of the country and its people and urged the party leaders to win the hearts of the countrymen. It doesn't require vote rigging for going to power," she said.

The Prime Minister urged the countrymen to cast their votes in favour of Awami League to confirm the country's developing nation status by 2026.

Brushing aside the BNP's demand of restoration of neutral caretaker government system, she said: "Why Khaleda Zia had rejected the system in 1996, saying only insane and children are neutral".

"I want to know whether BNP was able to find out the insane and children to form the caretaker government," she said.

At the outset of the meeting, one minute silence was observed as a mark of profound respect to the martyrs of August 15, 1975 carnage.