Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday warned opposition leader Khaleda Zia of putting her on trial for her attempt to save the war criminals unless she stops killing people, bloodletting and the politics of dead bodies.
“I urge the opposition leader to stop killing people, bloodletting and doing the politics of corpses, or else, your (Khaleda) trial will be held on Bangladesh’s soil one day for attempting to protect the war criminals,” Hasina told a mammoth public rally at Pirojpur Government Boys High School Ground.
The district unit of Awami League organised the rally with local MP AKM Awal in the chair.
Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, senior AL Advisory council member Amir Hossain Amu, among others, addressed the rally. AL Advisory council member Yusuf Hossain Humayun, AL leader Abul Hasnat Abdullah, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Whip ASM Firoz and AL leader Adv Afzal Hossain were also present.
The Prime Minister also expressed her firm resolve to hold the trial of the war criminals saying, “No one will be able to stop that.”
Referring to the recent comments of Khaleda Zia that there may be more loss of lives during the opposition’s movement, the Awami League chief said, “This means she (Khaleda) will kill more people, which she had tried to do when the trial of the killing of Father of the Nation was taking place.”
Hasina went on: “Now she (Khaleda) is out to protect the war criminals as she wants more corpses. I want to say you won’t be able to save the war criminals as holding the trial of the war criminals is a mass demand.”
Taking a swipe at Jamaat-Shibir, the Prime Minister said they do not believe in religion rather kill people in the name of religion.
In this regard, she recalled that the Jamaat men and their collaborators violated the country’s women during the War of Liberation. “They do politics in the name of Islam…they had violated our mothers and sisters and set fire to village after village during the Liberation War.”
Hasina alleged that the trial of the war criminals had got stalled after the killing of Bangabandhu in 1975. “Ziaur Rahman had set the war criminals free at that time and established them politically.”
About her party’s election pledges to try the war criminals in a bid to free the nation from stigma, the Prime Minister also alleged that the opposition leader is out to save those war criminals whose supporters are now setting fire to mosques, burning down prayer mats, preventing people from performing their Jum’a prayers, burning people to death and even killed policemen.
Claiming that there is no terrorism in the country since her party assumed office, Hasina sought votes again from the local people for ‘Boat’, the election symbol of Awami League, to reelect her party in the next general election to maintain peace and socio-economic development.
Noting that the aim of the present government is to ensure that every person would be able to perform their respective religion freely, the Prime Minister said her government has been working relentlessly to build a non-communal country to this end.
She also listed various development programmes implemented by the present government, including free distribution of textbooks up to secondary level, providing stipends, allowances and health services.
Before addressing the gathering, Hasina inaugurated the academic building and female hostel of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib College, Najirpur, Shaheed Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Bridge on Baleshwar River, Indurkani thana building, Nesarabad Fire Service Station building, district registry office building, Swarupkati sub-registry office building, district public library and six primary school-cum-cyclone shelters from the school ground.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stones of chief judicial magistrate court building, district Muktijoddha bhaban, technical training institute, hostel for blind children, academic-cum-examination building and cattle research center of the Government Suhrawardy College. UNB
