Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said though BNP now can hold its political programmes freely, the arson attackers who burned people alive will be apprehended and given proper punishment.
“Since we believe in democracy, now BNP can arrange meetings, processions and all programmes freely…. But the accused who were involved in such killings, arson violence and militancy will have to be apprehended and given appropriate punishment. Because, they violated human rights and killed people burning them alive,” she said.
Hasina, also the President of Bangladesh Awami League, said this while chairing a meeting of her party’s central committee at her official residence Ganabhaban.
Referring to arson violence indulged by BNP-Jamaat in 2013-2015, she said they killed people burning them alive, launching arson attacks everywhere including trains, buses, launches and even CNG-run auto rickshaws.
She said the perpetrators have been hiding, but they would come out as BNP is waging movement on the streets.
“They tortured the people. There will be no room for them. The law will take its own course. The law is equal for all,” she added.
The PM said there will be no room for the politics of terrorism and militancy in this country. “We’ll not allow it,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her party came to power working for the people and winning their hearts and it still has been able to hold the public trust.
“We came to power with votes of the people and their trust. We’ve been upholding the trust of this country’s people for the last 14 years…. Rather Bangladesh Awami League has attained larger popularity in this time,” she said, asking her party’s leaders and activists to go forward maintaining this achievement.
She said the people don’t believe in those who were terrorists, killers, perpetrators of 10-truck arms-haul incident, grenade attackers and who launched bomb attacks simultaneously in 63 districts.
“The people of Bangladesh will never stand beside them and never vote for them as well,” she said.
Talking about the Payra seaport construction, the premier said the project has been implemented with own money drawn from Bangladesh Infrastructural Development Fund which was formed with money from the country’s foreign reserves.
She said the money has been given to the Shipping Ministry at 2 percent service charge and it will pay back the money with the 2 percent interest. So, it will not affect the reserves and rather it will also make a profit from it, she added.
About the energy crisis, the PM said the government is taking steps on how energy can be imported to meet its deficit here in Bangladesh.
In a recent meeting with food importers, she told the businessmen clearly that the government can import energy if they are ready to purchase it at international prices.
The government has no capacity to provide additional subsidy here as it’ll have to provide Tk 46,000 crore as subsidy to purchase foods. Now some Tk 86,000 crore is needed to provide subsidy to agriculture, power and energy sectors, she said, adding that the government has taken measures to enhance solar energy in the country.
PM Hasina asked AL leaders and activists to raise her government’s successes and achievements, development plans and misrules of BNP regimes before the people.
AL triennial council to be held in simple manner amid crisis:
She said Awami League perhaps is the only party that follows its charter and arranges its council regularly as well as works for the people.
She said AL triennial council will be held in December next and they would form a committee to implement the council in Friday’s meeting.
The AL president said this year the council will be in simple manners at a low budget as part of exercising austerity amid the economic crisis.
Source: United News of Bangladesh