Shawdesh desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the Awami League government is not running the country by neglecting the people, rather it is working for their welfare by staying beside them in their good and bad times.

“The country is progressing fast as we are working by adhering to this principle,” she said at a meeting of the AL Advisory Committee and Central Working Committee at the Gono Bhaban yesterday afternoon, reports BSS.

Putting emphasis on further strengthening the party, Hasina said political strength and public support are very much needed to this end.

Meanwhile, the AL yesterday decided to punish its leaders who took stance against the party’s electoral symbol “boat” in the local government polls, a leader told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity.

Show-cause notices would be issued to the AL leaders, including ministers, state ministers and lawmakers, over working against “boat”, said the leader who was present at the meeting.

Those who would not be able to answer satisfactorily would be suspended from the party. Around 60 AL leaders may face party action, said the leader.

Speaking at the meeting, the PM said a plan to run the country properly was almost prepared by the party. “…such a plan was almost ready and that’s why we could work [for the country].”

The AL chief said her party has a plan about where it would take the country in future.

“We’ve already declared our plan. But we’ll have to take preparations and overcome the hurdles to this end.

“For this, the organisation will have to be strengthened further and public opinion be created,” the PM added.

Taking a swipe at a section of civil society members, Hasina said there are some people who don’t find comfort in anything. “We’re marching forward economically. But some people see it differently… it is their habit.”

The PM said those people never want the democratic trend to continue.

She said her party wants continuity of the democratic process and take the country forward economically.

Hasina said Bangladesh has the capability of tackling any natural disaster. “The officials and volunteers concerned start working whenever any disaster hits the country… there is no need to give any directives to them.”

In this connection, the PM said her government is taking information frequently about flood, rain and river erosion.

She said the political parties would have to remain active in this regard. “Awami League always played a pioneering role during the previous disasters.”

Describing the country’s tremendous development in various sectors, Hasina said Bangladesh has already got recognition as a developing country and earned successes in other fields.

Putting emphasis on retaining this achievement, she said the government wants to advance Bangladesh further as the most developed and prosperous country in South Asia.

The PM said her government has been able to keep the pace of the country’s development.

Expressing gratitude to the people for giving scope to the AL to run the country time and again, Hasina said Bangladesh has become a role model of development in the last one decade.

“Bangladesh has become self-reliant economically and we’ve been able to increase the GDP growth to 8.1 percent.”

The PM said Bangabandhu had graduated Bangladesh to a Least Developed Country within three and a half years of its independence.

Following his footprints, Bangladesh got recognition as a developing country, she said.