"They (vested quarters) are repeatedly claiming that there is no democracy in the country, those who are saying this get some attention during emergency and military regimes, they are trying to destroy the country’s democratic system for their personal gains," she said, reports UNB.

The PM made the remarks while delivering her introductory speech at the AL National Committee, comprising presidents and secretaries of 78 organizing districts and central AL committee members, at her official residence Ganabhaban.

She claimed that there is no one who could uphold the democratic rights of the people except AL. "Let me ask them, where is the dearth of democracy," she said.

Hasina, also the ruling AL chief, said that these vested quarters think that vote rigging, terrorism, and militancy, which were very much normal during the BNP-Jamaat regime, are synonyms of democracy.

"I believe that the power of the people is the biggest strength; trust and confidence of the people are the biggest strength," she said.

She said that as AL has been in power for 14 years and the democratic process continues in the country Bangladesh has achieved tremendous development and is acclaimed as a role model of development in the world.

"I do not know those who are searching for democracy must be using binoculars in their eyes, let me ask them one question, where was the democracy in the country except for three and half years of the Father of the Nation and other years under AL regime," she asked.

She mentioned that all powers were kept prisoned in the cantonment during the regimes of Ziaur Rahman, HM Ershad, and Khaleda Zia.

"The country was ruled by cantonment, then where was the democracy or the power of the people," she questioned.