The path of dialogue is still open: PM

Sheikh Hasina urged the leaders and workers of the AL and 14- party as well as the pro-liberation forces to remain alert so that pro-hartal activists could not damage the life and property of the people. "Anti-terrorism committees have been formed. I would like to tell the leaders and workers of the AL, 14-party and pro-liberation forces to remain alert so that the life and property of the people could not be damaged in hartal. What she (Khaleda Zia) will do by calling hartal?" she said.
The Prime Minister expressed her firm determination to hold the next election on time and complete the trial of war criminals. "Whatever hartal BNP and Jamaat call they could not stop the trial of war criminals, and election in Bangladesh will be held on time and in a free, fair and neutral manner," she asserted. Sheikh Hasina urged the leader of the opposition not to tarnish the image of the country by killing people and hurling bombs through hartal. "Bangladesh is now a role model on the world stage for its stunning successes in different fields. So don't tarnish the image of the country by killing people and hurling bombs through hartal," she added.
About her proposal on formation of all-party poll-time government, the Prime Minister said she made the proposal so that none could grab power unconstitutionally and the democratic trend could continue. "Though we have 90 percent seats in current parliament, I have proposed for all-party poll time government to hold elections so that no doubt arises about the upcoming polls," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said during the telephonic conversation with the leader of the opposition, she requested her to come to Ganobhaban, have a dinner and discuss how problems could be solved. "But not keeping my request, she enforced hartal and claimed lives of 20 people by torching vehicles and hurling bombs," she said. The Prime Minister said Khaleda Zia will have to take responsibility for the killing of 20 people. "The opposition leader could not gain anything by calling hartal except killing of 20 people, kicking on the stomach of day-labourers and obstructing the country's development," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh was turned into a safe haven of terrorists and militants, and synchronized bomb blasts took place at 500 places across the country during the BNP-Jamaat rule. Quoting a CNN report, the Prime Minister said former ministers and leaders of BNP were involved in the Feb 25-26 BDR carnage. "It was made clear to all through the report that why our opposition leader had gone into hiding after the massacre at Peelkhana that claimed lives of 57 brilliant army officers," she said.

Paying rich tributes to four national leaders who were assassinated inside the jail on November 3, 1975, Sheikh Hasina said through this brutal killing the values and spirit of the independence were destroyed by the anti-liberation forces.
With Deputy Leader of the House and AL Presidium Member Syed Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair, the rally was addressed, among others, by AL Advisory Council Members Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed and Suranjit Sengupta, Presidium Members Begum Matia Chowdhury and Mohammad Nasim, General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, Joint Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Organizing Secretaries AFM Bahauddin Nasim and Ahmad Hossain, State Minister for Law Advocate Qamrul Islam, Dhaka City AL President MA Aziz and General Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya.

Central leaders of associate bodies of Bangladesh Awami League including Jubo League, Sramik League, Krishak League, Sechchhasebak League and Jubo Mohila League also spoke at the rally conducted by AL Publicity Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud and Deputy Publicity Secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil.