Build Public Opinion About Those Kill People Being Human Beings: PM

"The people are the source of all power. So I urge the Alem-Ulema and Sufis to create a public opinion so that the misdeeds of those who kill and torture people being human beings are stopped side by side with preaching the essence of Islam," she said.

The Prime Minister made the call while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the International Sufi Conference 2015 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.

Bangladesh Tariqat Federation (BTF) arranged the day-long conference, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, with the slogan---"Sufi idealism is only way to global peace".

With BTF President Alhaj Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari, MP, in the chair, the inaugural function of the conference was addressed by BTF Secretary General Lion MA Awal, MP, BTF International Affairs Secretary Syed Tayabul Bashar Maizbhandari, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Bangladesh Shaer Mohammad, representative of Minhazul Quran International, UK, Afzal Hossain Sayedi, representative of Dargah-e Nizamuddin Foundation, Delhi, Syed Nazim Ali Nizami and Secretary General of Khaza Moinuddin Chisti Foundation of Ajmer, India, Khaza Whaid Hossain Chisti. Convener of the conference Dr Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri delivered the welcome address.

Islamic scholars from home and abroad including India, Germany, England, Russia and Bangladesh joined the conference.

Terming Islam as the religion of peace and humanity, the Prime Minister said it is a matter of misfortune that a rampage is taking place in Bangladesh now where human beings kill human beings.

She said the innocent people irrespective of women and children are burnt to death through petrol bombs in the name of so-called movement, and a panic is being created through it.

"I don't know whether those who are unleashing such types of atrocities on the common people believe in Islam, or have been derailed from it," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said BNP-Jamaat does politics in the name of Islam. "But I feel extreme pain when see that holy mosques were not spared from their destructive acts."

"There is nothing heinous act than torching mosque and it is BNP-Jamaat nexus which dishonoured the holy Quran by torching the holy book. They burnt hundreds of copies of Quran, and there is no history in Islam that such a huge number of the holy books were torched," she said.

The Prime Minister said when Bangladesh was advancing towards development and prosperity, when the people were living in peace and comfort and their confidence was restored, all of a sudden the BNP-Jamaat engaged in killing-spree without any reason.

She said BNP-Jamaat clique is killing innocent people brutally by pouring petrol. "It is my question that what crimes the people committed and what achievements the BNP-Jamaat wants to earn through such heinous act," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the BNP-Jamaat does not spare the people of their own religion. "Even they don't abide by the directives of the Great Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH)," she said. The Prime Minister said: "We learned from holy Quran that there is an arrangement of tough punishment for sin after death. But BNP-Jamaat nexus is giving such punishment like burning people to death before death.

"Sheikh Hasina said she cannot understand how a Muslim can burn another Muslim."I am leaving the matter of justice for the heinous crime before you," she told Alem-Ulema and Sufis.

The Prime Minister also urged the Alem-Ulemas and Sufis who came to today's conference as well as those who came from the remote areas to raise a question before the people at villages that "we don't want to see such deaths again."

"The screaming and brutality we are seeing at burn units of the hospitals cannot be tolerated," she noted.

In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said she was always vocal and protested such brutality not only in Bangladesh but also outside the country.

"During my address to the UN General Assembly, I raised the Israeli aggression and atrocities on the innocent Palestinians including women and children," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said those who are unleashing terrorists and militant acts are terrorists and militants. "They have no religion and border, they are a little number....image of Islam is being tarnished due to their misdeeds," she said.

The Prime Minister said whatever is happening in Bangladesh in the name of movement is very regrettable and painful. "Why such type of brutality the BNP-Jamaat is unleashing for personal interest?"

Sheikh Hasina said Begum Khaleda Zia has brought money from abroad in the name of Zia Orphanage Trust. But she didn't spend a single money for the orphans and embezzled that money, she said.

The Prime Minister said that the last caretaker government filed a case against Khaleda Zia to this end. "The trial of the case has started but Khaleda Zia is scared to face that case".

Khaleda Zia would have faced the case had she got honesty and self-confidence. "Instead of facing the case, she is out to create such a situation so that the democracy of the country and the people are destroyed. She only wants to save her stolen money," Sheikh Hasina said.

On the other hand, she said, the Jamaat terrorists are killing the innocent people to save war criminals. The trial of those who committed crimes against humanity is being held for ages.

"They would have beheaded, had they done such crimes in any Islamic country," she said.

The Prime Minister said the BNP-Jamaat killed over 200 people to foil the January 5 polls. "They also killed about 100 people in the last one and a half months in the name of hartal and blockade," she said.

Describing various measures taken by Awami League government for the welfare of Islam, the Prime Minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established Islamic Foundation and Madrasa Board while her government implemented massive programmes in last six years for expansion of Islamic education and ideals.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has taken steps to set up at least one model mosque in every upazilla and will recruit one teacher on religious affairs for every school.

The Prime Minister said, Awami League led government has always been giving due respect and dignity to Sufis, Alem-Ulemas and Mashaekhs.

In this regard, she mentioned that major establishments of the country including airports, bridges and roads have been named after religious scholars.

Photo: Saiful Islam Kallol