"Two state ministers for power have so far been removed. How could they be blamed for the mess in the power sector when the prime minister herself is in charge of the power ministry?" she questioned.

Hasina was addressing a meeting organised to welcome two former bureaucrats and two others to the Awami League (AL) at its Dhanmondi office.

Former secretary Azharul Islam, former tax commissioner Chowdhury Khalequzzaman, former MP from Barisal's Mehendiganj constituency Maidul Islam, and President of Feni District Welfare Association in Dhaka Mustafizur Rahman joined the AL at the meeting.

Describing the ongoing power crisis as the outcome of the government's unbridled corruption, Hasina said the blame for the power crisis goes on the prime minister.

The opposition leader recalled that AL government had run the power sector with specific plans and strategies.

"In 1996, we had inherited the power sector shattered by the then BNP government. But we increased power generation to 4400MW. But the present government failed to add a single megawatt to it," Hasina said.

She further said AL had a plan to increase the power generation to 5,500MW by 2006.

"We had increased power generation through private-run and small power plants. We had been successful to supply adequate power. But this government is least bothered about public sufferings, they are busy plundering public money," she alleged.

Hasina urged people to prepare lists of those ministers and MPs who have embezzled public property, inflicting immense sufferings on the people.

She asked the government to accept the opposition's proposals for electoral reforms to ensure free and fair elections.

"The government is against our proposed reforms as it wants to involve itself in election engineering to cling on to power. The prime minister now proposes talks between AL's general secretary and BNP's secretary general. But the government should realise that we want reforms to ensure people's voting right," she said.

Hasina accused the government of politicising the administration. She urged the government employees to perform their duties as public servants, not as party people.

AL Joint Secretary Obaidul Kader, Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Mukul Bosh and Tajul Islam were present.