"The opposition wants to create unrest. They don't want development and peace of the country," she told a public meeting at Shaheed Ali Ahmad Memorial High School at Sagoria in Hatia yesterday.

In the capital, the Awami League (AL)-led opposition combine tried to stage a sit-in outside the country's civil administration hub yesterday and clashed with police.

Criticising the AL's various "anti-people" and "anti-development" acts, the prime minister said the party has been trying to oust the coalition government since its assumption of office.

"But the people did not respond to their call for toppling the democratically elected government," she told the rally.

The prime minister said when the country is advancing towards prosperity and foreign investment is coming in a bigger way, the opposition has resorted to vandalism, arson and damaging public property to halt the progress.

She urged people to vote for the BNP-led alliance in the next general elections to continue the trend of development and make Bangladesh a prosperous and self-reliant country.

Describing the opposition's "reign of terror" while in power, she said they had created godfathers in every district of the country who unleashed repression on BNP leaders and workers.

"They also supplied illegal arms to their men to establish a reign of terror and people wanted to get rid of their repression," she said.