Govt must punish arsonists, masterminds to stop violence: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said they would ensure that none can burn the people to death alive in future by giving exemplary punishment to the arsonists and the masterminds behind the heinous acts.

“We are taking required measures against the arsonists and their masters so that none can burn the people to death and such heinous acts,” she said.

The premier made the remarks while speaking at a post-election greeting and view exchange meeting with leaders and activists of Kotalipara AL and associate bodies in Kotalipara Upazila Chattar here.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s younger daughter and prime minister’s younger sister Sheikh Rehana was present.

Sheikh Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League (AL), said many persons involved in the arson violence and their masters have already been brought to book while the remaining others must be netted after scrutinizing the video footages of the CCTV cameras which are now available everywhere.

“None of those who have done such heinous acts will be spared. We are currently taking measures against them and will continue the legal actions against others,” she said.

The Prime Minister came down heavily on the BNP-Jamaat clique for their activities for what they call democracy, saying, “Their movement means burning people to death alive and torching vehicles, including buses and trains.”

She said they did the same thing this time in the name of movement to prevent the 12th parliamentary election what they had done in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

A mother taking her child in lap had been burn to death in a fire set to a train and none can tolerate such a scene, she said.
“They are doing movement for democracy despite the fact that they even don’t know how to spell the democracy,” she said.

The Prime Minister said the people of the country did not response to BNP-Jamaat’s call to prevent the parliamentary election, by balloting spontaneously.

After forming the government for the record fifth term and fourth in a row, the Prime Minister went to Gopalganj to visit her Tungipara-Kotalipara constituency to pay homage to the Father of the Nation at his mausoleum in Tungipara alongside exchanging greetings and views with party leaders and activists.

She spent Saturday night at her own home in Tungipara and is scheduled to reach her official Ganabhaban residence tonight.

The Awami League had won the 12th parliamentary election with landslide victory getting 222 parliamentary seats out of 298.

Kotalipara AL President Babu Bhabendranath Bishwas chaired the meeting while its General Secretary Aynal Hossain Sheikh conducted it.

Leaders of AL and its associate bodies greeted the premier with flower bouquets separately on her reelection as the Prime Minister for fifth time and fourth consecutive term.

Sheikh Helal Uddin, MP, and Sheikh Salauddin Jewel, MP, were present on dais while Awami League advisory council member Akram Uddin Ahmed, Gopalganj Awami League president Mahbub Ali Khan and PM’s political representative in her Gopalganj-3 constituency Shahidullah Khandaker also spoke at the programme.

Sheikh Hasina said no country can make progress without a democratic
government or political leaders in power.

Although conspiracies were hatched to thwart the last parliamentary election,
the people of the country had given a befitting reply to the conspiracies by
exercising their voting rights, she said.

“The January 7 election is the victory of the people and the democracy,” she
said.

The Prime Minister thanked the people of the country for voting her party
Awami League to power again.

She also thanked the people of her constituency — Tungipara and Kotalipara –
– as they voted her again to win taking all responsibility on their shoulders
and helping her become the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for the fifth term.

The Premier continued she cannot concentrate more on her constituency like
other members of the parliament as she has to take care of the development in
all 300 seats across the country.

Sheikh Hasina has sought blessings from the countrymen so that she can run
the state to fulfill their wish.

“I have nothing to lose. My only target is to ensure how much I would give
the country,” she said.

She urged the countrymen to remain alert, as the anti-Liberation elements who
do not like the country’s development are still active in hatching
conspiracies.

“We will march the country ahead confronting all the conspiracies of the
people, who don’t want Bangladesh’s development. We will build a poverty and
hunger-free developed and prosperous Sonar Bangla as envisioned by Father of
the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she added. (BSS)