Killers won’t be allowed to reign over Bangladesh anymore: PM

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on Monday called Zia family as killer family for its direct link to gruesome killings like August-15, 1975 and August-21, 2004, saying the killers won't be allowed to reign over Bangladesh anymore, reports BSS.

"Zia family means a killer family. The killers will not be allowed to reign over Bangladesh anymore," she said.

The prime minister said this while presiding over a discussion organised by the AL at its Bangabandhu Avenue central office in the capital marking the 19th anniversary of the heinous grenade attacks on the party's anti-terrorism rally on August 21, 2004.

She also stressed the need for quick implementation of the verdict in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack cases in which 22 Awami League (AL) leaders and workers were killed and over 1000 others were injured, 500 of them seriously.

She continued that the trial in the August 21 grenade attack cases has already been completed and its verdict has also been delivered.

"The verdict should be implemented quickly," she said, adding that some of the killers are now in jails while the mastermind of the heinous attacks Tarique Rahman is now abroad.

Tarique went abroad giving a bond (of not doing politics) with stealing thousands crore money and is now talking against the country using the facilities of Digital Bangladesh made by her government, she said.

"The people of Bangladesh will not spare him (Tarique)," she said, adding, "If he has any courage, then he comes back to Bangladesh".

The premier said the BNP-Jamaat clique had tried to erase the name of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his Historic March 7 Speech, Joy Bangla Slogan and the spirit of the Liberation War.

"But, they (BNP) could not root out the spirit of the Liberation War. The people now can know the true history of the war," she said.

Despite the BNP-Jamaat tried to kill her several times, the people of the country voted her party to power time and again to serve them, Sheikh Hasina said.

The prime minister alerted the countrymen against the killers so they never can torture and kill the people through arson terrorism and inhuman repression.

"Be alert as the killers, miscreants, arms smugglers, money launders and bribe takers cannot play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people," she said, calling upon them to show hatred to the killers.

The prime minister reiterated her commitment to work for changing the fate of the people by giving them an improved and decent life as the almighty Allah saved her from many attacks on her life since her return to the country in 1981.

Mentioning that Bangladesh has turned around due to massive development works of her government and got global honour, she said, "We are making a commitment today that Bangladesh will march ahead with dignity."

Earlier, the prime minister paid homage to the martyrs of the August 21 grenade attacks by placing wreath at the altar built in memory of the martyrs in front of the party's central office at Bangabandhu Avenue here. Then, flanked by senior leaders of AL, Sheikh Hasina paid homage to the martyrs by placing another wreath there on behalf of her party.

AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, MP, delivered the address of welcome while Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, MP, moderated the discussion.

At the outset of the meeting, a minute's silence was observed as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the martyrs of the August 21 grenade attack and the martyrs of the August 15 carnage.