Jamaat will go underground, act like militant outfit: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned the nation on Thursday that the Jamaat-Shibir axis may go underground and operate like a militant outfit after being banned.
“We must face them together, treating them as a militant organisation. Everyone needs to stay vigilant, and I seek the cooperation of the entire nation,” she said during a voluntary blood donation programme and discussion at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in Farmgate, Dhaka. The event was organised by Bangladesh Krishak League ahead of National Mourning Day, which will be observed on August 15.
Sheikh Hasina iterated her commitment to eradicating militancy and terrorism from Bangladesh, emphasising that the country had already witnessed the brutality of militancy disguised during the quota reform movement.
“There will be no place for militancy and terrorism in Bangladesh. Jamaat-e-Islami and Shibir, the main force of militancy, will be banned under Section 18 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009,” she asserted.
Acknowledging the risks to her own life, the prime minister expressed her resolve to continue working for the welfare of the people. “I am aware that attempts on my life may happen again, but I am not concerned. Allah gave me life, and He will take it away. I will do everything necessary for the welfare of the people,” she said.
The prime minister called for international assistance, urging the United Nations and other countries to help investigate the recent violence and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Referring to the deaths and destruction of public property during the recent unrest, Sheikh Hasina said, “The militants have revealed their true nature under the guise of a quota movement.”
She also spoke about the personal pain of loss, referencing the assassination of her family on August 15, 1975. “I want a thorough investigation into every aspect of the violence to identify who was behind it and how the incidents unfolded.”
The prime minister mentioned that her government had formed a one-member judicial probe commission to investigate the deaths of six people during the recent violence. This commission was later expanded to three members to cover the broader scope of incidents.
Sheikh Hasina also called on the UN and other countries to send experts to ensure a fair investigation. “If any country wants to send experts, they are welcome. I want a fair investigation, and those responsible must be held accountable,” she said.
She concluded by saying that her government will no longer tolerate the destruction of public property or the undermining of the nation’s progress. “The nationwide unrest was intended to tarnish Bangladesh’s image abroad,” she added.
AL Advisory Council Member Advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun and Agriculture and Cooperative Affairs Secretary Faridur Nahar Laily also spoke at the event, which was presided over by BKL President Samir Chanda and moderated by General Secretary Umme Kulsum Smriti.
The programme began with a minute of silence in tribute to the martyrs of August 15, 1975. A milad and doa mahfil was held at the end of the event to pray for the eternal peace of the departed souls of the 1975 martyrs and those who lost their lives in the recent violence.
