Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday came down heavily on the sympathisers who criticised the arrest of journalists Shafik Rehman and Mahmudur Rahman saying a person accused of criminal acts cannot escape law on human rights grounds.
“How do they raise the question of human rights when they were arrested in connection with a heinous crime like abduction and killing?” she said at a discussion organised by Awami League central committee at the city’s Krishibid Institution marking the historic Mujibnagar Day.
“I do not know what kind of journalism and press freedom they believe in. They criticise the arrest, but say nothing on the big conspiracy of the journalists that was unearthed by the FBI,” she said.
The prime minister said: “The accused persons should feel ashamed as their names are involved in such a conspiracy.” She said the critics should condemn the offenders instead of criticising the government for bringing the accused to book.
Sheikh Hasina said: “I think they do not like to consider an offender as an offender and perhaps they will not feel any necessity of their trial for this terrible deed. How did they turn a blind eye to a journalist’s misdeed?” she asked.
The discussion was organised as part of a two-day central programme of Awami League to observe the historic Mujibnagar Day, marking the oath taking ceremony of the first government of Independent Bangladesh at Mujibnagar in the then Kushtia district (now Meherpur) on April 17, 1971. On this day in 1971, the government in exile took oath a week after its formation.
“The government will certainly take action against the persons if found guilty of conspiracy,” she said adding that “no one had raised the question of our human rights when the killers responsible for destroying my family, had been given impunity.”
“We suffered 21 years of torment when our human rights were violated. Now they are criticising us and have become vocal for the human rights of the accused persons when we have arrested them who are hatching conspiracy against us,” she said adding that as citizens we have the right to seek justice.
Sheikh Hasina suggested they deal with the FBI instead of accusing her government for arresting the journalists on specific grounds as the USA intelligence agency has found their names during their probe.
Awami League advisory council members Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed, senior presidium members Mohammad Nasim and Matia Chowdhury, General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, presidium member Sahara Khatun, joint secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Organising Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim and Liberation War Affairs Secretary Capt AB Tajul Islam took part in the discussion.
Central Awami League leader Advocate Quamrul Islam, Sujit Roy Nandi, newly elected president of the party’s Dhaka North and South city units AKM Rahmatullah, MP and Abul Hasnat and newly elected general secretaries of the units Sadek Khan and Shahe Alam Murad also spoke on the occasion while Awami League Publicity Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud and Deputy Publicity Secretary Asim Kumar Ukil conducted the meeting.
Pointing out the FBI report on involvement of a number of BNP leaders in a reported abduction and killing attempt on Prime Minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the prime minister said BNP leaders siphoned off crores of money abroad during their rule, and with that money they now hire FBI officers to cause damage to Awami League.
“Our government always takes measures wherever it finds any injustice. We never give indulgence to any injustice and we will never do this in the future,” the prime minister said adding that the main aim of her government was to reach the benefit of independence to every house, establish justice, basic rights of the people and rule of law.
Pointing out the significance of the Mujibnagar Day, the prime minister said on this day in 1971 the first government of independent and sovereign Bangladesh was constituted. In the oath taking ceremony, the Declaration of Independence was also read out and in line with this Declaration the government functioned, the armed forces and liberation forces were raised.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is the result of 23 years of relentless struggle of people under the leadership of Bangabandhu. After independence Bangabandhu reconstructed the war ravaged country and within a very short time he had taken every step to build a self-reliant nation.
The prime minister said Bangladesh could earn seven percent economic growth in 1975 when Bangabandhu was in power. The country has earned the same growth rate this year when Awami League is in power, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the killers of Bangabandhu and anti-liberation forces hatched conspiracy to keep Awami League out-of-state power after 1975 and they were successful till 1996. They never wanted to see Bangladesh go ahead.
Pointing out political situation after 2001 election, the prime minister said not a single family could escape their torture and intimidation. They made the country a haven of militancy and terrorism. They made people victim for casting their vote for Awami League. Former finance minister SAMS Kibria, Ahsanullah Master and Ivy Rahman were the worst victims of their atrocities, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is now on the road of development as the pro-liberation force is in power. The country for a long time was ruled by the anti-liberation force, under which a country can never progress, she said.
Highlighting the country’s ongoing development, the prime minister said 50 million people could come out of extreme poverty level to middle income level. Awami League always follows the principles of Bangabandhu to bring smile on the face of the toiling masses which is very much consistent with the oath taken by the country’s first government in Mujibnagar in 1971, she said.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
