Claiming that a vested quarter was behind the recent planned killing of two foreigners, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said no one will be able to destabilise the country by carrying out such activities.
“Bangladesh has consolidated its position on the international stage in such a way that no one will be able to destabilise the country with such incidents,” she told a function at the Defence Services Command and Staff College.
The programme was organised to mark the inauguration of the newly-built Sheikh Hasina Complex, an academic building of the college, at Mirpur Cantonment.
The PM urged all, including the members of the Armed Forces, to remain alert so that no one could hold up the pace of country’s development.
Referring to the killings of foreign nationals, an Italian in Dhaka and a Japanese citizen in Rangpur, Hasina said the Japanese man had converted to Islam, but he was killed. “We’ve already condemned the killings and taken steps for hunting down those involved in the incidents and ensuring their punishment.”
She said whenever Bangladesh achieves something and is internationally acclaimed for that, such incidents are carried out to tarnish the country’s image.
The country, said the PM, has to tackle terrorism, militancy and conspiracies every now and then. “We’ve to spend energy and working hours on tackling conspiracies…if we didn’t have to do that, then it would have been possible for us to further develop the country.”
She said the role and scope of duty of the Armed Forces has increased a lot due to the new dimension to the present global security situation. “So, in the changing context, necessary revision and addition of newer subjects to the academic and training programmes of the Armed Forces are needed.”
Recalling the killings of 59 army officials in the Pilkhana carnage on February 25-26, 2009, the PM said her government took steps for holding the trial of the then BDR members who were involved in the mutiny.
She alleged that her government had to face various barriers in holding the trial. “The BNP-Jamaat-backed lawyers stood beside over 850 accused.”
Referring to co-chairing of a UN peacekeeping event on the sidelines of the just concluded 70th session of the UNGA, the premier said she pledged there to provide peacekeeping missions with more female peacekeepers since Bangladesh is always ready in this regard.
The work on framing the draft National Defence Policy and Forces Goal 2030 has been underway in line with the development pace of the Armed Forces, she added.
Earlier on her arrival at Mirpur DOHS, Hasina was received by Army Chief Gen Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq and Quartermaster General of Bangladesh Army Lt Gen Anwar Hussain.
At the function, keys of apartments were handed over to the family members of late Armed Forces officials who died during the 2009 BDR mutiny, on UN peacekeeping missions and in other accidents.
Some 74 flats were handed over to the family members of 68 martyred members of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Sena Kalyan Sangstha built the multi-storey building that houses the flats.
The army chief delivered the welcome speech at the programme. PM’s Security Affairs Adviser Maj Gen Tarique Ahmed Siddique (retd) and Air Chief Air Marshal Abu Esrar were present, among others.
