1/11 actors have become active again: PM

"I have seen in today's newspapers that some "eminent citizens" have given some suggestions to us. I don't want to say anything about them. But many of them whom we had seen after the 1/11 have now become vocal again," she said.

The Prime Minister said: "I would like to tell them one word why their spirit has arisen so lately. Why their spirit was not awakened when BNP-Jamaat stopped the JSC and JDC examination by enforcing hartal."

She said why they could not say to the opposition not to call hartal during the exams of the children. "Why they remain silent when the BNP-Jamaat terrorists kill sleeping people including the children by hurling bombs at the buses and uproot and cut trees rampantly in the name of so-called movement," she asked.

The Prime Minister said this while receiving this year's JSC and JDC exam results at her official Ganobhaban residence here this morning.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and chairmen of nine education boards handed over the results to the Prime Minister.

Sheikh Hasina said the ensuing elections have reached to such a stage when the "eminent citizens" want to stop the polls. "We will have to opt unconstitutional way if the polls are stopped at this moment. I don't know whether they are inviting such an unconstitutional way," she said.

The Prime Minister also said the "eminent citizens" now remained united and are giving advices and suggestions to the government about many issues. "But why they were silent when the Hefajat-e- Islam carried out rampage and burnt thousands of copies of Quran," she said.

The Prime Minister said the present government made tremendous development in the country's all sectors. "We have an obligation to the people as we do politics for them," she said.

She said the people of the country saw the rule of the governments of the "eminent citizens", particularly in 2006-07. "They did nothing for the country and the people," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has introduced the JSC and JDC examinations so that all students get equal opportunity for better education.

"The JSC and JDC exams are increasing self-confidence of the students about taking higher study," she said. Besides, she said,
the teachers are taking more care about the students.

The Prime Minister said no country can achieve their desired goal without education and there is no alternative to education to free any country from poverty.

Expressing satisfaction over JSC and JDC results, Sheikh Hasina said the aim of the government is to flourish the talent of the students and build them as worthy citizens of the nation.

"Our students are meritorious and they show their talent wherever they go," she said, urging the students to pay more attention to their studies for better results.

The Prime Minister thanked all concerned to help hold the exams and publish the results despite the adverse situation created due to hartal and blockade enforced by the opposition.

The JSC and JDC exams were scheduled to begin from November 4 but the exams started on November 7 due to hartal enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance. The exams ended on November 22.

Education Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury conducted the function, while PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad was present, among others.