Murders have no IS link: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today ruled out any link of Middle East-based militant organization IS with the killing of two foreign nationals last week in Dhaka and Rangpur, reports BSS.

However, there surely have something preplanned by anti-liberation force and war criminals, she said.

"I can surely say that IS or such type of organization or their activities have not sprouted in Bangladesh yet. Our intelligence is always alert and Bangladesh would not allow militants and terrorists to take shelter in Bangladesh, despite traces of radicalism are being seen in some youths, who are eager to join IS.

The Prime Minister said this at a press briefing at her Ganobhaban residence here about the outcome of her recent visit to the United States to attend the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and other events on its sidelines.

Sheikh Hasina said militancy and terrorism gained ground in the country in the name of "Bangla Bhai" and other brands. But truly the government has taken action against them and engaged its all strength to root them out, she asserted.

However, the Prime minister said, there were certainly something preplanned behind those incidents. Anti-liberation forces and war criminals are not sitting idle when they are put on trial, she said, adding that it would not be wise to forget that they have ruled the country for 21 years and they would show some reactions as they are now facing trial.

Sheikh Hasina said the nature of the gunshots on two foreign nationals has confirmed her conviction that the murders happened in the same manner. Both of them were killed in similar style. There was no misfire in the case of murder of Italian national in Gulshan. All four bullets riddled his body, which means the killing was preplanned and done by experienced hands, she said.

In this regard, she recalled the remarks of a BNP leader before and after the incident and said, "If you compare the two statements, you would find a clear picture. She asserted that the killers would be arrested and get punished as it was done in case of the murder of a Saudi diplomat in 2012.

Criticizing Australia for cancellation of the visit of its cricket team to Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said stray murders are taking place across the globe when many foreign nationals are also becoming victims.

No country issued "red alert" for their citizens in Australia and the US after the recent shooting and massacre, she said, adding that even the US President is also scared about the surge in those incidents in his country.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh is a small country with 160 million people where "we have addressed many problems ranging from food security to law and order". But the US is several times bigger than our country and their total population is only two times higher than that of ours. The rate of murder and rape in Bangladesh is very negligible compared with such occurrences in the US, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the government is taking action in case of every murder or incident. Any stray incident cannot erode our all successes; she said the media have to play a more responsible role while focusing on the murder of Bangladeshi nationals abroad and a foreign national in Bangladesh.