DHAKA: Prime Minister on Monday urged BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to come to the path of democracy avoiding destructive activities, killing, bomb explosion, torching and damages to people’s lives and properties.

The premier made the call while addressing the nation on Monday evening amid countrywide indefinite blockade by Bangladesh Nationalist Party--the political rival of ruling Awami League.

She urged the countrymen to resist all kinds of sabotage and militant activities altogether in coming days to uphold country’s democracy.

The premier said that people want security, peace and development.  They want to go out of ill-politics and want to establish that politics, which is better for country and for people, she added.

Hasina vowed to finish the war crimes trial saying that trying of war criminals, collaborates, razakars and al-badr is progressing and verdicts are being executed too.

The premier said they have completed the development activities, which her government began. Besides, her government has got opportunities to take many new development agendas to advance the country, she added.

Hasina said the BNP-Jamaat Jote established a reign of terror across the country to foil the 5th January elections and protect the war criminals.

They torched vehicles, cut down tress beside the highways and roads in rural areas and killed 20 law enforcers, including police, BGB, Ansar and army, she added.

On BNP’s political agendas, the premier said that scraping the last general poll was a politically wrong decision of BNP. Why people will have to pay for BNP’s mistakes, the premier asked.

Hasina forewarned the BNP chief of losing people’s trust and faith saying the way of politics you’re (Khaleda) following will not bring benefit to people.

In her address, the premier also ruling Awami League president briefed on the development activities of her government.

Bangladesh is one of the five countries those advanced for economical development and it has on an average 6.2 percent growth.

Per capita income increased to $1,190 dollars from $543 dollars. 5 crore people became mid-income earners from low-income earners. Poverty rate have reduced to 24 percent from 41.5 percent. Rate of hardcore poor has now declined to 11 percent from 24.2 percent in 2006.

Remittance income stood at $14.23 billion dollars in 2013-2014 fiscal than that of $4.80 billion dollars in 2006. Foreign reserve stands at $22.39 billion now increasing by six times than that of $3.48 billion in 2005-2006 fiscal year.

Now our electricity production capacity is 13,283 MW (megawatt), which was 4,500 MW in 2001. The day gas production has enhanced to 2,450 million cft on an average than that of 1600 million cft in 2006.

The Implantation of the sixth five-year plan has begun and long term plan has been taken and its implantation is underway, the premier informed.

BDST: 2115 HRS, JAN 05, 2015