Bhanga, Faridpur: Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday sought everybody’s vote for her party to ensure a beautiful future for the posterity, keeping up the country’s development spree.

‘Every vote and seat are valuable and your one vote will help us form the government . . . shortage of a single seat could bar the reinstallation of our party to the government,’ she told a wayside rally at Bhanga intersection in Faridpur this morning, reports the BSS.

The premier added: ‘So cast your vote for ‘boat’ to ensure our victory so we can keep up the continuity of the country’s development’.

AL candidate of Faridpur-4 constituency (Bhanga-Sadarpur-Charbhadrasan) Kazi Zafarrullah also addressed the rally, while Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana was present.

Sheikh Hasina was on her way to Dhaka from Tungipara as part of the party’s second day of election campaign.

‘If Awami League doesn’t return to power, the construction work of the Padma Bridge Project will be halted. So, a single vote is also valuable for us to continue the uplift works,’ she said.

In this connection, the AL president said, her government in 2001 laid the foundation stone of the bridge. ‘But, after coming to power, the BNP-Jamaat government stopped the work of the bridge,’ she said.

‘Many leaders will try to misguide you by speaking about different issues. But, you will have to cast your vote by own and guard the polling centres by creating public opinion,’ the AL president told the people at the rally.

Later, the prime minister addressed a rally on the Komarpur Abdul Aziz Institute premises in Faridpur.

On her way to Dhaka, she will also address five more rallies at Rajbari intersection, Manikganj bus stand, Rabeya Medical College and Hospital premises in Dhamrai and Savar bus stand.

Earlier in the day, Sheikh Hasina started her journey around 9:04am by road from Tungipara.

Before starting her journey, she recited from the holy Quran and offered munajat at the shrine of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

On Wednesday, the Awami League president launched her party’s election campaign by placing wreaths at the shrine of Bangabandhu in Tungipara. She also addressed a public rally at Sheikh Lutfar Rahman Government Degree College ground in Kotalipara.

The prime minister said her party deserved votes also for establishing a corruption, militancy and terrorism-free Bangladesh saying ‘my aim is now to establish a corruption, militancy and terrorism-free Bangladesh and your vote is required to achieve the goal’.

She reminded all Bangladesh’s rating as the most corrupt country for five consecutive years when the BNP-Jamaat government was in power while ‘now the corruption has come down significantly and for this, we got its recognition’.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu and Bangamata sacrificed their lives for the betterment of the people and ‘I’ve also dedicated my life to the welfare of the people . . . if needed, I will shed my blood to establish your rights’.

Spelling out Bangladesh’s stunning successes in different sectors, the AL president said the country started its journey towards light and none will able to halt this advancement.

‘We have sacrificed all things for the young generation,’ she said, adding that the continuity of the government is a must for changing their lot and keeping up the country’s development.

The prime minister said if elected again, the Awami League would build a hunger and poverty-free Bangladesh so the future generation gets a better life.

The people raised their hands in favour of boat, when the Awami president sought support from them. ‘Please promise that you will vote for boat, I’m also giving commitment to establishing a hunger and poverty-free Bangladesh so that your children get a better life,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the nation will celebrate birth centenary of Bangabandhu in 2020 and golden jubilee of independence in 2021 and these will be celebrated with festivity if Awami League comes to power again.

‘So you can understand that how much valuable your vote,’ she said.

Vowing that ongoing drive against terrorism, militancy and narcotics will continue, the prime minister said those who have links with drugs must be isolated and called upon people to wage a social campaign to root out these menaces.