Asserting that the war crimes trials would continue, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday also vowed to try the people who politically rehabilitated the 1971 war criminals.
“After the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, those who captured state power illegally through conspiracy and put our blood-adorned national flag on the hands of razakars and al-Badrs [led by Jamaat-e-Islami leaders who sided with the Pakistani occupation forces], must be brought to book, Inshallah,” she said while addressing a rally at Mohanpur of Chandpur.
The premier said none would be able to stop the trials.
Also the president of ruling Awami League, Hasina urged the party activists as well as the countrymen to stay aware about the quarters who were conspirators against the country’s independence, constitution and democracy.
She said millions of people had sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence in 1971. “We must not allow anyone to foil the independence. I am ready to make any kind of sacrifice. If needed, I will sacrifice myself like my father for the welfare of the people,” she said.
Earlier in the morning, the prime minister inaugurated the commissioning of the first locally-made passenger vessel “MV Bangalee” at Sadarghat Launch Terminal in the capital. Later Hasina along with the cabinet members, party leaders and some lawmakers travelled to Chandpur by the steamer.
Mentioning the glorious history of water transport services of Bangladesh, the premier said travelling by steamer was very interesting, but services had been deteriorating day by day. She also shared her experience of travelling on steamers with her father and family members while going to their hometown in Tungipara from Dhaka.
“Now we have taken initiatives to revive the service and this [new] steamer is part of our initiative. We will continue it,” she said and described the government initiatives for developing the river routes and the water transport services.
Hasina also criticised the owner of Koko Launch service, Arafat Rahman Koko, who is the younger son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. “How can a country develop if the son of a prime minister has business with the government?”
She also asked the countrymen to save the rivers from pollution and grabbers for the sake of irrigation and drinking water supply.
MV Bangalee started from Sadarghat around 10am and returned around 4:30pm. During that time, the premier and members of her entourage enjoyed cultural programmes.
Hasina said she did not want to miss such a programme, although her security officials did not want her to travel by a steamer.
However, water transport services from and to Sadarghat remained halted since yesterday morning until her return, causing severe sufferings to the passengers.
The 75.5-metre-long “MV Bangalee” will run in Dhaka-Barisal route via Chandpur. It has a capacity of 750 passengers. The steamer was built with local resources at a cost of Tk26.80 crore by local shipbuilding company Western Marine Shipyard Limited under a project of the BIWTA.
Second member of the local steamer team “MV Modhumoti” is likely to join the fleet next month. The new vessels are expected to ease sufferings of the passengers significantly as the BIWTC’s five paddle steamers are almost worn-out.
Among others, Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Expatriate Welfare Minister Engineer Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, accompanied the prime minister during the travel.
