War criminals, looters must not be in power: PM Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday urged all to remain united so that war criminals, killers, looters and embezzlers of orphans’ money can never come to power.

“My urge to you all, war criminals, killers, embezzlers of orphans’ money and looters could never come to power and push the country towards of the path of destruction, I’m requesting you all to remain united,” she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a big public rally at historic SuhrawardyUdyan. Awami League organised the rally marking the historic March 7, commemorating the historic speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh MujiburRahman in 1971.

She said those who believe in independence, spirit of the Liberation War, and the development of the country and its people would at least remain aware about it.

Sheikh Hasina said the culprits who were involved in crimes against the humanity, genocide, looting, arson, rape, and handed over the country’s women to Pakistani occupational forces must not be in power.

The Prime Minister said those who were involved in embezzling orphans’ money, siphoning off public money, killing people through arson attacks, in the murder of 27 law enforcement personnel should be kept out of power forever. “If they come to power, they’ll force the country towards the path of destruction,” she said.

She also urged the people of the country to remain united for advancing the country imbued with the spirit of the great Liberation War.

AL leaders SajedaChowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, MatiaChowdhury, Sheikh FazlulKarimSelim, Mohammad Nasim, Engineer MosharrafHossain, Sahara Khatun, Faruk Khan, Obaidul Kader, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, MirzaAzam, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, and Dhaka South City Mayor SayeedKhokan also spoke on the occasion. AL publicity secretary DrHasan Mahmud conducted the progamme.

The gathering at SuhrawardyUdyan began from the morning. Thousands of Awami League leaders, activists and supporters thronged the venue with banners, placards, festoons and other displays.

Sheikh Hasina, also the AL chief, directed party leaders and activists to showcase the development activities of the government to the mass people.

“The continuation of our development has to be maintained because this will help us reach the middle-income country status by 2021 InshahAllah and make the country hunger and poverty free by 2041,” she said.

The PM also said when Awami League remains in power the country moves towards development and alleged that there had been no development during Ziaur Rahman, Ershad and Khaleda Zia’s regimes. “They don’t want development as they don’t believe in Independence, as they made their own fortunes.”

Talking about social menaces like militancy, terrorism and drug abuse, she said there is no room for these anti-social elements in Bangladesh. “We have to free the country from terrorism and militancy as the previous government made it a haven for these elements.”

The Prime Minister urged all to help the law enforcing agencies and people of the administration to keep the youths of the country away from militancy, terrorism and drug abuse and give them a healthy life.

Pointing to the recognition of the historic March 7 speech of Bangabandhu by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) she said the appeal of this speech is everlasting.

Highlighting the significance of March 7, Hasina said the momentous speech which Bangabandhu delivered on this day in 1971 at Suhrawardy Udyan inspiring people even after 45 years.

She said Bangabandhu prepared the nation step by step for the independence and it was reflected in the speech.

Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said the March 7 speech of Bangabandhu is an inspiration for the oppressed people of the world who are still fighting for their political and economic freedom.