BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia introduces four-party alliance candidates Afroza Khan Rita and her father Harunar Rashid Khan Monno in Manikganj-2 and 3 at a rally on Debendra College ground in Manikganj. Photo: STAR

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday urged people to foil all conspiracies by voting for four-party alliance candidates in the upcoming national polls. She blamed the caretaker government for hatching conspiracies to make the country a failed state.
"We need to form an effective parliament and work together to make Bangladesh a strong state," she said addressing different rallies on her second day of election campaigns outside the capital.
The former premier yesterday addressed at least 10 election rallies on her way to Jessore from Dhaka. She is on a two-day tour of southern Bangladesh. She is to campaign in Jessore, Khulna and Satkhira districts today.
She was holding a rally at Alamdanga as this report was filed at 1:00am today. She was scheduled to visit Magura and then travel to Jessore around 3:00am.
Blasting the caretaker government for "destroying" the country, the BNP chief said only BNP can save the country if voted to power. She promised that BNP will change the face of the country once in power.
She urged people to join the battle to save the people and the country.
“To get rid of the present situation, a people's government is a must and only elections can ensure this," she said.
She hoped that the BNP-led four-party alliance would have a two-third majority in the parliament once a free and fair election is held.
"The December 29 elections are very important for Bangladesh as this would decide the fate of the country… whether democracy will be restored," she said urging people to vote for BNP.
She promised adequate supply of fertiliser, seeds and other agricultural inputs to farmers if the four-party wins the elections.
"We will take the initiative to build a bridge on the Padma and another bridge one on the Gorai once we have won the elections," she said in Kushtia.
Khaleda gave assurance of creating more employment opportunities, medical facilities and reducing prices of essentials if voted to power.
Escorted by Special Security Force's and other law enforcement agency personnel, Khaleda's motorcade started from her cantonment home around 8:30am.
Party supporters stood by roads at several places like Savar, Manikganj, Rajbari and Kushtia holding colourful banners, festoons and BNP's electoral symbol sheaf of paddy. They chanted slogans in support of their four-party alliance candidates contesting the upcoming polls.
Debendra College and Tebra playground in Manikganj, Rajbari Railway ground and Pangsa High School in Rajbari, Janipur Pilot High School ground in Khoksa upazila, Durgapur High school ground in Kumarkhali upazila and Kushtia Stadium in Kushtia were among the places where she held rallies.
She introduced to the voters alliance candidates Harunur Rashid Khan Monno for Manikganj-3, Afroza Khan Rita for Manikganj-2, Khandaker Delwar Hossain for Manikganj-1, Ali Newaz Khan for Rajbari-1, Nasirul Haq Sabu for Rajbari-2, Syed Mehedi Ahmed Rumi for Kushtia-4, Sohrab Uddin for Kushtia-3, Shahidul Islam for Kushtia-2, Altaf Hossain for Kushtia-1 and Amzad Hossain for Meherpur-2 among others.
Party candidates running in the December 29 elections brought in supporters to her rallies from their constituencies.
She also talked to several candidates in order to resolve internal disputes regarding nominations for the polls.
The former premier kicked off the party's campaign for the ninth parliament in Sylhet on December 13.