Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked leaders of the party not to allow the infiltrators in Awami League, as the party's image will be tarnished due to their misdeeds.
"When any (party) remains in power, some people come in [join the party] from different sides. After joining the party, they resort to various misdeeds. The party has to bear it," she said at a discussion marking National Mourning Day.
The Awami League Dhaka city north and south units arranged the virtual discussion. Sheikh Hasina joined the function from Ganobhaban as the chief guest. Other leaders were connected from the AL central office on Bangabandhu Avenue, Dhaka.
Sheikh Hasina said she warned party leaders and activists at the beginning of her regime not to allow those who come from political parties founded by military dictators and those who were with war criminals.
"Because, if they come in, they harm the party and resort to sabotage and kill our good leaders and activists. The incidents surface as infighting, but when investigated, they are found to be caused by those who had come in suddenly and taken a place in the party," she added.
Sheikh Hasina said the infiltrators behave so nicely that many party leaders take them to strengthen their groups. "Bringing them in such a way is very harmful for us," she added.
Noting that Awami League is only the party in Bangladesh which is well organized straight from the grassroots level, with a huge supporter base and public support, she asked party leaders and activists to build the party based on their ideology, always.
'Find democracy in democratic environment'
Taking a swipe at a section of intellectuals and dignitaries, the prime minister said they don't find democracy in a democratic environment, rather they always remain ready to be used by undemocratic governments.
Pointing to Ziaur Rahman, she said those who come to power by promulgating the Marshal Law Ordinance cannot give democracy. There are many intellectuals and dignitaries who are searching for democracy in the military regime or the state of emergency, she added.
"They search for democracy when the state of emergency comes, or they get the taste of democracy when the military dictators come in. But they do not find democracy in the democratic environment. That means their character is the kind that flatters and butters up," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that those who grab power abruptly hire the flatters and they (a section of intellectuals) remain ready to be used.
"But they don't have value when the true democratic system or democratic trend prevails. The democratic government would not use them, no matter how they keep 'use me' inscribed in the chest. Then they shout saying that there's no democracy," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said it is now clear that Zia Rahman had been involved in the assassination of the Father of the Nation as he had provided all sorts of assistance to them.
Mentioning the names of the killers, she questioned who could have encouraged them? She said particularly Col Rashid and Faruk in interviews with BBC, and different foreign newspapers and news agencies also confessed that Ziaur Rahman had been with them and they had got all sorts of assistance from Ziaur Rahman.
