Expatriate Bangladeshi civic reception in New York
by Saleem Samad : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina lashed out the anti-politics of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its chief Begum Khaleda Zia with an objective for destruction of the country’s promising economy and sustainable development.
The prime minister was addressing a civic reception accorded to her by expatriate Bangladeshis in United States at the Hotel Grand Hyatt here on Wednesday night.
Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president called upon the expatriate Bangladeshis in USA to project the country's real status, its overall socio-economic development as Bangladesh Ambassadors so that no one could carry out any destructive campaign.
She reiterated that those who unleashed arson attacks and burnt people to death in the name of anti-government movement and their mentor Khaleda Zia will surely be punished.
“These days they're (BNP) lamenting that they didn't have any [political] space. Who'll provide them the space as she (Khaleda) kept herself confined to her office for 92 days and burnt people to death. She (Khaleda) was lucky enough that she had not been arrested at that time. She was needed to put behind bars which would have helped save some lives,” she said.
Prime Minister said her government has allowed so many private satellite channels that led to the spur of too many talk-shows where BNP leaders are always very vocal threatening to oust her government. “Then how could they say they have no rights to speak up and lament of political space?”
Responding to BNP's allegation that they are facing too many cases, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that cases were filed as they had committed such crimes. She said those who burnt people to death in the name of movement must be punished.
“The criminals of such crimes would surely be punished…Khaleda Zia will also get the punishment as their mentors,” she remarked.
The premier said Khaleda Zia is fortunate that she was not arrested at that time and it was needed that time to put her behind the bars, adding this could also save some lives.
“The criminals of such crimes would surely get punished while Khaleda Zia would also have to get punishment as their order givers,” she said, adding the government would continue with the trial of such misdeeds in accordance with the law.
Sheikh Hasina also said her government will continue the trial of such misdeeds –arson attacks and burning people to death—as per the law of the land.
Hasina said cases were filed against those BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami hooligans who had engaged in arson attacks, killing and burning people to deaths to foil the January-5 election and again in 2015 in the name of movements.
The Prime Minister alleged that BNP-Jamaat's character will never change as they had always resorted to corruption and money laundering.
She said the BNP-Jamaat high-ups accumulated huge wealth through corruption and money laundering with which they are conducting propaganda against her government and lobbying in various regions.
The prime minister took a swipe at Ziaur Rahman, HM Ershad and Khaleda Zia for rehabilitating the killers of Bangabandhu in many ways betraying with the huge blood-shed of millions of martyrs.
She bemoaned it is unfortunate that one convicted criminal is now in the USA, another in Canada, and two in Pakistan. “We're continuing our efforts and hopefully we'll be able to execute those convicted killers after bringing them back home.”
The Prime Minister also renewed her vow to turn Bangladesh into a hunger- and poverty-free mid-income country by 2021 and a prosperous developed country by 2041. “Bangladesh is moving ahead and Insha Allah Bangladesh would continue to move.”
US Awami League President Dr Siddiqur Rahman gave the address of welcome, while PM's ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, PM's Energy Adviser Dr Tawfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Parliamentary Standing Committee Chairman on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Dipu Moni and State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam were present, among others on the dais.
– New York, 21 September, 2016
