BNP Committing Same Crimes as Islamic State (IS): PM

"BNP-Jamaat are committing the same crimes the IS is doing in the Middle Eastern countries like Iraq, Syria and Jordan. There is no difference among them," she said.

Pointing out the killing of a Jordanian pilot by fire a few days ago by IS terrorists, she said, "What is the difference between the activities of IS in Syria and BNP-Jamaat in Bangladesh."

Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, said this in her introductory speech at a meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) at her official residence Ganobhaban here this evening.

The Prime Minister said Begum Khaleda Zia and Jamaat have made the country as an abattoir and are taking revenge on people. She vowed to destroy the country and dream of the people.

Khaleda Zia pushed the people to anarchy, but she is staying safe in her luxury house, she said adding how Begum Zia calls her anarchism as a movement without participation of the people.

Calling upon the people to put up strong resistance against the killing, arson, anarchy of the BNP-Jamaat clique, the Prime Minister said united resistance of people can only stop them.

Sheikh Hasina expressed gratitude for peaceful holding of the first-day SSC exams and urged Khaleda Zia not to enforce hartal again during the SSC examinations by considering the life of 15 lakh examinees.

"If you need, you can call hartal after the examinations," she said.

Criticizing Khaleda Zia not for visiting her younger son (Koko) during his ailments, the Prime Minister said even she (Khaleda Zia) did not feel necessity of offering ziarat at his grave.

"How a mother, who has no grief for her late son, would express sorrow and sympathy for other people?" she questioned.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said BNP leaders have lost their conscience to judge good and bad. So they are giving place to their personal and political interest above the academic lives of millions of examinees.

"Actually they do not like progress and welfare of the people. They also cannot accept the advancement of the country," she said adding who are providing fund for making petrol bombs?

Sheikh Hasina said now many people talk about holding dialogues with Begum Zia. But what they would do if Begum Zia misbehaved with them as she had done with me.

In this regard Sehikh Hasina mentioned about her phone call to Khaleda Zia before January 5, 2014 general election saying she wanted to talk with Begum Zia forgetting all past including the terrible memories of 1975 and gruesome grenade attack on August 21, 2004 considering the nation's interest.

But, the countrymen witnessed the gesture that Khaleda Zia shown to me, she said asking, "the so-called intellectuals would not go to her for the second time if Begum Zia behaved with them in such a manner."

"Despite that, the Prime Minister said, I had decided to go to Begum Zia for the second time to console after her son's death. But the gesture Begum Zia showed to me is very unusual in our society, she said.

The Prime Minister said Begum Zia now opted to lead the movement from her luxury office by throwing statements. There is no public participation with the movement, so what kind of mass movement it is, she asked.

The Prime Minister observed that anarchist and anti-liberation forces create trouble whenever Bangladesh's economy moves forward. Bangladesh always had to proceed amidst adversities, she said.

Seeking support of the people to overcome the ongoing anarchy, the Prime Minister said the government would do everything necessary for bringing the law and order to a normal position.

At the beginning of her speech, the Prime Minister greeted the players and officials of Bangladesh Football team for their win against Thailand in the second semifinal of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup Football Tournament.