Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the opposition leader wants more blood and bodies to save war criminals and anti-liberation force Jamaat-e-Islami.
“She (Khaleda) told a public meeting that she wants more lives and blood… may I ask for whom she wants to save those war criminals and Jamaat-e-Islami from trial,” she said while addressing a mammoth public rally at historic Suhrawardy Udyan.
Awami League organised the rally marking the birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“I just wonder how a leader who became prime minister twice and now the leader of the opposition could utter such words. How such words came from her mouth, how she wants the blood of people and how she says there’ll be more loss of lives,” Hasina said.
In a note of warning to the opposition, the Prime Minister said the government is firmly committed to protecting the lives and property of people and would take actions against those who will create anarchy.
“I don’t want to see any more bloodshed, but if anyone wants to destroy public property and life, if anyone attacks people, kill people, we want to say we’re firmly committed to taking any sort of action against them as our aim is to protect public life and property,” she said.
Citing the example of killings by Ziaur Rahman, Hasina said taking blood is the character of BNP and that is why Khaleda looks for more blood. “Why does she wants money? It’s just for one reason, she wants to go to power wading through the blood…she wants to sit in the chair by taking blood and destroying the country,” Hasina said questioning whether the people of the country will allow this bloodsucker to go to power.
Hasina further alleged that Khaleda Zia, while in power, had killed so many people.
In this connection, the premier mentioned that Khaleda killed 24 people, including the wife of incumbent President Zillur Rahman, through the August 21 grenade attack. “She killed Shah AMS Kibria and Ahsanullah Master, and so many leaders and activists of Awami League…she killed 150 people in the name of ‘Operation Clean Heart’ and killed people in crossfire by creating Rab.”
Hasina went on, “Her (Khaleda) thirst for blood still remains unquenched, her thirst for blood is still there, she wants to destroy the country.”
Referring to the election manifesto of her party, Hasina said the trial of the war criminals was the election pledges of Awami League. “As we’ve started the trial, the opposition leader has become restless,” she said adding that her husband also tried to save the war criminals after 1975.
Hasina mentioned that the government started the trial of the war criminals to free the nation from a stigma. “That’s why we’ve started the trial and she (Khaleda) started conspiracy to save the war criminals,” the premier added.
Sheikh Hasina urged the pro-liberation people to resist those who want to stop the trial of the war criminals and hatch conspiracy to that end.
Taking a swipe at Jamaat-e-Islami, Hasina said Jamaat recently spread a picture that the Huzurs (Maulanas) of Makkah staged a demonstration demanding the release of Sayedee. “This is a blatant lie, the truth like daylight is that it was for another reason, not for anything related to Bangladesh,” she said.
About the recent upsurge by the young generation demanding the capital punishment of the war criminals, she said these youths raised their voice with the spirit of the Liberation War and the opposition leader termed them ‘spoiled youths and atheists’.
“How one Muslim can call another Muslim an atheist, this is just against the spirit of the religion. It’s only almighty Allah who will decide who is atheist or not,” Hasina said adding that Khaleda lost her faith in Allah.
The Prime Minister alleged that Khaleda Zia did not like the youths as they have revived the spirit of the Liberation War. “They’ve brought the spirit of the Liberation War in the limelight and she didn’t like that,” she said.
Hasina also said Khaleda Zia had been in Singapore for medical treatment, but returned with mental problems. “That’s why she is now calling our children atheists and spoiled ones,” she said.
Regarding the recent rumor on vitamin A capsule, Hasina said the government is very much concerned about the children and formed a committee to look into the matter. She requested people not to pay heed to rumours.
AL presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, Suranjit Sengupta, AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, Latif Siddique, Mohammad Nasim, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, MA Aziz, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Ahmed Hossain, Fazle Nur Taposh, Harunur Rashid, Sramik League president Sukur Mahmud, Mahila Awami League president Ashrafunnesa Mosharraf, Sechchasebak League president Mollah Mohammad Abu Kawser, Juba Mahila League President Nazma Akhter, Chhatra League president AHM Badiuzzman Sohag and general secretary Siddiqui Nazmul Alam, among others, spoke at the rally. UNB
