Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday renewed her call to the Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia to “return to the politics of peace” shunning the path of destruction for the sake of the welfare of countrymen. She made the call while distributing cheques of donation to 333 hawkers, small businessmen and shop owners of Baitul Muqarram and its adjacent areas whose shops were burnt on May 5 during a Hefazat-e-Islam programme in the capital, reports UNB. PM’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed reporters after the programme.
Speaking at the programme, Hasina said she has no word of condemning the destructive mayhem, including torching of vehicles, damaging of lives and properties, unleashed by Jamaat-Shibir and Hefazat-e-Islam under the patronisation of the opposition parties. Terming the burning of holy Quran as heinous, she said there is no previous instance of burning so many holy Quran at a time in the world. The Prime Minister said the huge loss occurred due to the vandalism of Hefazat and Jamaat-Shibir could not be made up by the government. But the government is providing token assistance to the small businessmen to express its sympathy for the victims of the mayhem. Besides, she said the government will have to provide huge amount of financial assistance to the large number of victims of the Savar building collapse. Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Post and Telecommunications Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun, Food Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque and State Minister for Religious Affairs Advocate Shajahan Mia were, among others, present.