Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged all Bangladeshi expatriates to extend their co-operation in tackling militancy and terrorism.
"Making suicide attacks in the name of Islam and killing innocent people have become a fashion these days… I seek your all-out cooperation in keeping away the people of Bangladesh from this evil and sick process," she said.
The Prime Minister was speaking at a civic reception accorded to her by the Austrian chapter of Awami League at Grand Hotel in Vienna on Monday, reports UNB.
Terming terrorism and drug addiction as major problems, Sheikha Hasina said: "The drive against militancy, terrorism and drug abuse will continue as we've to save our country from these menaces."
She said Islam is a religion of peace, brotherhood and friendship. "Islam never said to kill innocent people."
The Prime Minister mentioned that killing innocent people does not take one on a path to heaven. "The case is different in a battlefield, but killing people through suicide attacks is not permitted in our religion. Committing suicide itself is a great sin in our religion, no one can go to the heaven through committing suicide."
She mentioned that militancy and terrorism have become and international problem. "This is not a problem for a single country, this is a global problem."
The Prime Minister mentioned that she has already created massive mass awareness in the Bangladesh by connecting people through holding video conferences and urging guardians, teachers, imams and other professionals to remain alert against militancy and terrorism.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman, President of All European Awami League Anil Das Gupta and UK Awami League President Sultan Mohammad Sharif also spoke at the function presided over by Awami League’s Austria unit president Khandaker Hafizur Rahman.
The Prime Minister urged the expatriates to raise their voices against negative activities and politics of BNP. "You've to place this before the foreigners on how they (BNP) killed people on various occasions through arson attacks."
During the 10th general election, she said, the BNP-Jamaat clique was responsible for the death of 135 innocent people and then 231 people during the three-month long arson attacks in 2015.
"Those who killed people through arson attacks must face punishment, they killed people in a planned way…the trial of these people must be held," she said.
Awami League leaders from across Europe, including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Greece joined the reception.
Later, the Prime Minister attended an iftar party followed by dinner hosted in her honour by the Bangladesh Ambassador to Austria.
Monday, March 24, 2025
