Barisal: Criticising her arch rival Khaleda Zia for instigating violence in 2013, 2014 and 2015, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said 'where the BNP chief is now'.

‘Where is she [Khaleda] today? The Throne of the Almighty Allah gets shaken when one carries out repression on people. Those who burnt people to death face such consequences. And that justice is being done,’ she said while addressing a public rally at Bangabandhu Udyan in the city.

The Prime Minister said Khaleda Zia had taken position in her office in 2015 declaring that she would not return home until the fall of Awami league government.

Khaleda torched some 3,500 cars and burnt 500 people to death and injured over 3,000 people in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Reiterating that the country sees development when Awami League comes to power, Sheikh Hasina urged people to vote for the Awami League and its alliance in the national election to be held in December next to maintain the pace of development in the country.

Hasina said the Awami League government has carried out massive development works in the country as people voted it to power for their welfare. ‘We've taken Bangladesh to the path of development in the last nine years. The trend has to be maintained. I want you to promise [to vote for Awami League],’ she added.

The Prime Minister said her government believes in the country's development and the welfare of its people. ‘Had we committed corruption we wouldn't had been able to develop the country so much.’

Hasina hoped Bangladesh will be a hunger- and poverty-free country during the celebration of birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020 and the golden jubilee of the country's independence in 2021.

Mentioning various achievements of her government, particularly in health, education, manpower export and power generation, she said now 90 percent people are enjoying electricity facility and 100 percent will come under its coverage in 2021.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh will not remain anymore in the least developed country (LDC) category as the graduation process to come out of this group starts in March next.

Pointing at BNP and Khaleda Zia, the Prime Minister said there will be no place for plunderers, corrupt, patrons of militancy and terrorism, looters of orphans' money on Bangladesh soil.

She urged the guardians, parents, imams, religious teachers and teachers to protect children from militancy, terrorism and drug addiction.

Awami League district and city units jointly organised the rally with AL district unit president Abul Hasnat Abdullah in the chair.