Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said BNP-Jamaat leaders will have to stand trial for killing people through arson attacks, trying to resist the last general election, getting involved in corruption and pampering war criminals, reports UNB.
“They must face trial on the soil of this country,” said Hasina, also the president of BNP’s archenemy Bangladesh Awami League (AL) while speaking at the adjourned joint meeting of her party’s Central Working Committee and Advisory Council at her official residence Ganabhaban.
About the allegation of BNP high-ups that the government has filed false cases against them, the AL president said not a single false case was filed against them. “These cases will continue in court,” she said.
“They killed hundreds of innocent people, including presiding officer and engineer, through arson attacks, created an anarchic situation across the country in the name of resisting elections and vandalised schools. The trial of those who are involved in such killings must take place on Bangladesh soil,” she said, describing such crimes as terrorism.
Sheikh Hasina also said those who made war criminals ministers and MPs, gave them the national flag earned in exchange for blood of millions and gave them scope of doing politics in Bangladesh must face trial one day. “The trial must be held,” she added.
Replying to BNP’s claim that there is no democracy in the country, she said it is very unfortunate to hear the word, democracy, from the BNP men whose party was born through capturing power unlawfully. “Who are those who are very much vocal about democracy? They contaminated the election process. It makes me laugh whenever I hear the word, democracy, from them,” she said.
Posing a question, Hasina said, “When there was democracy in the country –during the regime of Ziaur Rahman who had imposed curfew for years after years? This is very much unfortunate to hear the lesson of democracy from them.”
Talking about terrorism, militancy and drug abuse, she said all have to fight these social menaces. “There’ll be no place for terrorists and militants in this country. We’ve to create mass awareness and we’ve done the job. As a result, we’ve been successful in combating militancy.”
Noting that people have kept their faith and trust on AL, Hasina said, “We must take the country ahead. Politics is not for our own but for people and the country and their welfare. It’s for the grassroots people. As a politician, we’ve to always perform our responsibility towards people.”
The AL chief asked the party leaders to innovate new ideas for the country and its people to turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041.
Source: Prothom Alo
