There's a limit to lies

Hasina responds to Khaleda's allegations

20 May 2010, 18:00 PM

Unb, Kuala Lumpur

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has outright dismissed the allegation made by opposition leader Khaleda Zia at the Paltan grand rally on Wednesday that not a single megawatt of power was produced during the previous Awami League rule. Speaking at a reception accorded by the Bangladeshi community at Putra World Trade Centre yesterday, Hasina said when she took over as prime minister in 1996, the power generation was 1600MW and it increased to 4300MW when she left the office in 2001. “Who had increased the production while we were in power?” she said, adding: “There is a limit to lies.” In her scathing remarks, the prime minister, who read her rival's speech in newspapers, said the person who lies with her own birthday can tell lies about the power sector. The PM said the present government has declared the energy as emergency sector and undertaken several projects in the sector, implementation of which would increase power production to a satisfactory level. Hasina squarely blamed the five years of BNP and the two years of the past caretaker government for the present crises of electricity and gas as well as the level of poverty. She said, “It was due to the BNP government's corruption, loot and terrorism as well as the fear of the caretaker government that businessmen did not investment money in the country, including power sector. The PM also attributed the lack of development in the country to the post-75 military dictators due to corruption, loot and misrule. “Democracy must continue… without democracy development cannot take place,” she told the function. Referring to Khaleda's allegation that Hasina had pledged to sell rice at Tk 10 per kg, Hasina said during her previous rule, rice was sold at Tk 10 but when she left power, it shot up to Tk 45. “She (Khaleda) must give the answer first.” In an oblique reference to Khaleda's allegation that the present government is selling out Bangladesh's interests, she said in the 2001 elections her party got huge votes but could not go to power, as she did not agree to sell out natural gas. Hasina mentioned that former US President Jimmy Carter came to Bangladesh before the 2001 general elections, met her and Khaleda and wanted to know about their respective positions on the sale of natural gas. “I straightly told Carter that I will protect the people's interest first,” she said, adding: “The same thing I told President Bill Clinton when he came to Dhaka and also when I met him in Washington.” “On the contrary,” the PM said, “Khaleda came to power by giving the commitment to sell out gas and oil of Bangladesh.” Hasina said as long as she is alive, she will not allow anyone to play with the resources of Bangladesh and the people. She, however, did not say anything about June 27 hartal called by Khaleda.