The President of the Awami League reiterated her position at a meeting of the 14-Party alliance at her Ganabhaban residence on Thursday amid demands by the opposition to revive the system and to hold a dialogue over the issue.
“We no longer want to go back to a situation like the one of 2007-2008. We’re determined to accelerate the country’s economic development by continuing democratic process,” she told the meeting.
After months of stormy politics over war crimes trial, Shahbagh protests and the series of shutdowns by the opposition over the caretaker government, the Prime Minister in early May had invited opposition leader Khaleda Zia to sit for dialogue to resolve ongoing political impasse.
She also stated that her party had no problem with an all-party interim government holding the next general elections.
But Khaleda turned down the offer and gave the government a 48-hour ultimatum to clearly announce holding of next general election under a non-party administration or face vigorous agitations.
Regarding Khaleda's threat, Hasina on Thursday said, "We now only see ultimatums. Is this a plot to ensure the return of the 2007-08 [caretaker] government?"
Recalling experiences of the military-backed caretaker regime, she said, "We saw the rampage of the caretaker government. Many incidents including arrest of university teachers, destroying of bazaars, and extortion of businessmen took place during that time."
After highlighting the mismanagement of the economy during that time, she said the ruling coalition was taking Bangladesh’s economy forward by overcoming that crisis.
She pointed out that foreign exchange reserves have crossed the $ 15-billion mark and the reserves of bulloin (gold) also increased under her Awami League-led government for the first time.
The Prime Minister on Thursday again made her stance clear on finishing the 1971 war crimes trials.
She said the opposition was trying to topple the government to stop the trials.
At the beginning of her speech, Hasina expressed relief that cyclone Mahasen did not cause much devastation.
"I was very worried," she said hours after the cyclone weakened as it crossed the coasts of Bangladesh.
She said the government was prepared to tackle the storm and damages. She also urged mosques, temples, churches and pagodas around the country to offer special prayers as the country did not suffer large-scale losses from Mahasen.
Of the senior Awami League leaders, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Matia Chowdhury and Mohammad Nasim were present at the meeting.
Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, JaSaD President Hasanul Haq Inu and leaders Moinuddin Khan Badal, Shirin Akhtar, Samyabadi Dal General Secretary Dilip Barua and other leaders of the alliance were also present.