Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its students’wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, “are planning massive destruction” on December 12, surrounding the execution of International Crimes Tribunal’s verdict against Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Abdul QuaderMolla for his involvement in war crimes in 1971.
The information was disclosed yesterday at a cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Secretariat, as was confirmed by several ministers who attended the meeting.
One of the ministers seeking anonymity said the cabinet discussed the information elaborately, following which, the prime minister ordered the state minister for home to take tough steps against any sabotage attempt and tighten security measures.
Meanwhile, ministers and leaders of the 14-party alliance were asked to deploy their activists in the field until December 16, to participate in programmes to observe victory day, he said.
He said according to the PM’s instructions the allies will host programmes at thana and ward-level. Freedom fighters, pro-liberation organisations and activists will also be requested to stay on the field for the victory day celebrations.
The prime minister also asked the alliance to go ahead with all its activists and participate in the upcoming general elections, as the government has no plans to defer the election date.
The election will be held according to the existing schedule, the premier assured them.
The political programmes of the opposition will be countered politically, the minister said.
Regarding Quader Molla’s death sentence, the premier has reportedly assured the ministries of home and law that they will be given all the facilities and the time to carry out the ICT verdict, and no one can question it.
It could at best be subject for the president’s consideration, if Quader Mollah wants a presidential pardon, he said.
Speaking about the recent violence in Satkhira, the minister said the government had information that the superintendent of the district may be biased towards Jamaat-e-Islami.
“He has given them the scope to commit destructive activities and violence. The ministry of home was asked to remove him from his post,” he said. The cabinet hoped that the situation would change after his removal.
Another minister said the prime minister has asked the home ministry to strengthen the security of the railways and other transport carrying commodities during the opposition blockades and hartals