Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia could not avoid responsibility for burning people to death, and must stand trial for her acts.
While speaking at the weekly question-and-answer session in the parliament, the prime minister said cases had been filed against Khaleda and the law would take its own course.
“Necessary actions will be taken in accordance with the law against Khaleda. All these acts she had committed cannot go unpunished.”
Responding to a supplementary question from Shamim Osman, the prime minister claimed Khaleda had links with international militant group Islamic State (IS).
“Terrorist activities are being carried out globally. The IS burned 45 Egyptians to death. She [Khaleda] has a connection with the IS as she is now burning the Bangladeshi people to death after joining hands with the militant group. These acts cannot go unpunished.”
Hasina said Khaleda had been killing people in arson attacks, and was ordering the attacks from her office.
“She [Khaleda] is burning people, she is killing people. The people of Bangladesh will never tolerate such killings,” she said.
Reiterating that Khaleda had unleashed a reign of terror across the country by killing innocent people, Hasina claimed that some cadres of Jamaat-e-Islami and Chhatra Shibir were involved in the killings.
“The trial for these acts will surely be held in Bangladesh. Such heinous crimes cannot be accepted. If these are tolerated, it will bring destructive consequences for the country.”
The prime minister said Khaleda had imposed general strikes across the country since February 2, when the Secondary School Certificate examinations were scheduled to begin.
She also questioned what the BNP chairperson would achieve by ruining the academic life of the examinees.
Hasina, also the Awami League president, said boycotting the 10th general elections was the wrong political decision for Khaleda.
“Why will the people of the country have to pay the price for her [Khaleda] wrong decision? She is now taking revenge on people. What sort of act is this?”
Hasina said: “People will one day spit on the BNP. They will not even utter the party’s name.”
In response to another question, the prime minister said the business community had claimed a loss of Tk75,000 crore so far.
“This means exports will go up if there is no strike or blockade,” she said.
Hasina also warned a newspaper, which she said was instigating Hizb ut-Tahrir members by publishing their messages and posters.