Lawmakers in parliament yesterday demanded a fresh law with a provision for capital punishment to prevent petrol bomb attack, numerous incidents of which has been seen across the country during the BNP-led 20-party alliance’s transport blockade and hartal.
“They [the BNP-led alliance] are playing with the lives of the general people in the name of politics. To protect the people we need to go for passing an act with capital punishment,” ruling party lawmaker Dr Hasan Mahmud told parliament during an unscheduled discussion.
Echoing him, MP Nurul Islam Suzon said: “Khaleda Zia is destroying the future of 15 lakh students. She is hatching a conspiracy against the whole country.
“To bring petrol bomb attackers under the law we need to formulate a fresh law very soon.”
Taking floor on a point of order, a few other senior lawmakers also urged the government to hold the Secondary School Certificate and equivalent examinations on time.
A few senior ministers and lawmakers bitterly criticised the role of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the present situation that has intensified sufferings to the people of the country and left the fate of hundreds of thousands of innocent students uncertain.
Taking part in the discussion, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said punitive action must be ensured for the troublemakers, those who are killing innocent people. She accused Khaleda of patronising terrorist activities with the help of anti-liberation militants forces.
“Begum Zia has taken a stance against the people of the country...She has no right to do politics in Bangladesh anymore,” Matia said.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon said proper security must be ensured for the SSC examinees and the authorities concerned should not shift the dates of the examinations anymore.
SSC and equivalent examinations were supposed to start from today, but the government has postponed today’s exams to Friday.
Menon demanded immediate action against those responsible for the present situation.
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition Rawshan Ershad started the discussion and urged the government to stop at any cost the ongoing anarchy, vandalism and violence carried out by Khaleda Zia’s party and its alliance in the name of hartal and blockade.
She urged the government to form committees at ward, village and union levels to resist anarchy and violence across the country.
