PM Rules Out the Possibility of Sitting For a Dialogue

"The BNP chairperson is now talking about a dialogue. Why should we go for a dialogue with Begum Zia, who is a 'killer' and whose hands are stained with blood and the smell of the burnt people? Why should we sit for the dialogue with that woman who scolds while talking with her over phone and closes door of the office while visiting there to offer sympathy for her deceased son?, " she said.

The Prime Minister added: "Who will sit for a dialogue with the BNP chairperson, who is a militant leader and who killed children and pregnant women by pouring petrol and hurling cocktails and who does not treat the people as human beings?."

"Instead of that I would like to advise Begum Zia to surrender to the court by showing respect to the law of the court as summon has been issued against her...it would be better for her and that is her place. If she does not do so, the government would be compelled to execute the court order," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing a National Grand Rally of the professionals organised by Peshajibi Samannaya Parishad in the auditorium of the Krishibid Institution, Bangladesh at Farmgate in the capital. The grand rally was organised in protest against arson and petrol bomb attacks, militancy and terrorism as well as killing of people and destruction of development- economy- education by the BNP-Jamaat nexus.

With President of Peshajibi Samannaya Parishad Justice AFM Mezbahuddin in the chair, the rally was also addressed by PM's Media Advisor journalist Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, Bangladesh Medical Association President Professor Dr Mahmud Hasan, Krishibid Institution, Bangladesh President AFM Bahauddin Nasim, MP, representative of Dhaka Division of Peshajibi Samannaya Parishad Advocate Anisur Rahman Khan, representative of Chittagong Division AQM Sirajul Islam and President of Bangabandhu Prokoushali Parishad Engineer Habibur Rahman.

Secretary General of Peshajibi Samannaya Parishad Professor Dr Qamrul Hasan Khan made a visual presentation on the overall development that the country achieved in the last six years under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as well the BNP-Jamaat destructive acts.

Talking about the BNP chairperson's ongoing anti-government movement, the Prime Minister said Begum Zia has failed in the movement as she could not involve the general people in it. "Any sensible person does not want burning, vandalism, corruption and militancy," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the BNP leader is now taking revenge on the people as she made a mistake by not participating in the January 5 polls. "How far she will play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people? But as long as I remain alive, I won't allow her further to play ducks and drakes with the lot of the people," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said whatever Khaleda Zia makes announcement by sitting in her office, it won't yield any results as the eyes of the people have opened and they know everything. "The BNP leader did not get response to those whom she was looking at. Either the 'North' or 'West'... any country or quarter did not respond. Because none could support her militancy and burning people to death," she said.

Referring to the success of the anti-government movement of the Awami League, Sheikh Hasina said that movement was succeeded as her party could involve the people in it. "We made the people together and created a mass awakening. Begum Zia was compelled to resign as she stole the people's vote," she said.

About the "disappearance" of BNP Joint Secretary General Salauddin Ahmed, the Prime Minister said Khaleda Zia will have to give reply that where she has hidden him.

"Khaleda Zia must tell where she has hidden Salauddin Ahmed and she might have smuggled him through the 'bags of dirt' which the city corporation staff collected recently from Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office," she said.

She said: "We are also trying to find out Salauddin Ahmed. If we trace him out, he must be arrested."

Referring to Khaleda Zia's audacity when the Prime Minister went to her (Begum Zia) Gulshan office to extend sympathy to the bereaved mother, Sheikh Hasina said she could have taken action against the BNP chairperson for her bad behavior as the head of the government.

Taking a swipe at Khaleda Zia who is always advocating dialogue, the Prime Minister noted that before the January 5 elections, she had phoned the BNP chief to sit for a dialogue on the elections.

"But Khaleda Zia needed six hours to receive the phone call and she didn't have the courtesy to call back. I was astonished for her shout and quarrel with me during the telephonic conversation," she said.

The Prime Minister said she had offered Khaleda Zia to take any ministries, even the home ministry, so the BNP could join the polls. "We wanted to hold the election with the participation of all so that no faults exist in it. But Khaleda Zia boycotted the polls for her own mistake," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the BNP-Jamaat nexus tried to resist the polls, but they could not succeed. For this they torched 582 schools and a presiding officer, she said.

"Ignoring all hurdles, we were able to hold the elections, and 40 percent voters cast their votes," she said.

About the questioning of the legitimacy of the present government by the BNP after the elections, the Prime Minister said the government is legitimate to all of the world, except Khaleda Zia. "Bangladesh would not have won the CPA and IPU elections had the government not been legitimate," she said adding the country has created a record by winning the important posts of the two prestigious world bodies.

In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said the High Court has declared illegal power grabbing of General Zia and the fifth amendment to the constitution by the military dictator. "If Zia's rule was declared illegal then the BNP founded by Zia has become illegitimate. So see your face in your own mirror," Sheikh Hasina told Khaleda Zia.

About Khaleda Zia's speech in her press conference on Friday, the Prime Minister said the BNP leader has hailed her party leaders and workers for killing innocent people including women and children by pouring petrol and hurling cocktails.

"But she did not offer any sympathy for the people who became victims of the arson attacks of the BNP-Jamaat clique. This has made her character clear to all," she said, adding the killers of the people are big to her.

Sheikh Hasina said the BNP chairperson always claims that she was a prime minister for three times. But has she any responsibility for the country? She could not have enforced hartals during the SSC and HSC exams had she have the responsibility, Sheikh Hasina said.

The Prime Minister said the BNP leader does not abide by the law and courts. "Date for hearing the graft cases filed during the caretaker government was fixed for 67 times. But she appeared only seven days. And those days she went to court with her cadres to terrorize the judge," she said.

Brushing aside the BNP leader's allegation that there is no media freedom in the country, Sheikh Hasina said how the country's television channels could have broadcast the press conference of an "absconding accused" like Khaleda Zia, had media freedom not been in the country.

"Her falsehood surpassed the falsehood of Hitlar's minister Goebbels and Goebbels would have felt ashamed to see Khaleda Zia's falsehood had he been alive," she said.

The Prime Minister blasted BNP-Jamat nexus as they are desperately trying to make Bangladesh a failed state by burning the people to death, destroying the economy and education system of the country.

She said the BNP leadership has created obstacles to holding SSC examinations of 15 lakh students and conducting academic activities of nearly 4 crore students through their subversive acts in the name hartals and blockades. Sheikh Hasina said the anti-liberation forces emerged under direct patronage of the post-75 governments and they are now out to destroy spirit of the War of Liberation and the existence of Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister said when her government has been taking the country ahead solving all problems in various sectors, the BNP-Jamaat clique is involved in hatching conspiracies at home and abroad.

Narrating unbridled corruption of the BNP leader and her son, Sheikh Hasina said none could even imagine how much money they earned through massive corruption as they gave money as bribe to the FBI agents. Recalling contribution of professionals to various crucial moments and movements of the nation, the Prime Minister said they played a great role in the struggles for establishing independent Bangladesh under the leadership of Father of the Nation and in developing the country after independence with their talents and wisdom.

"They also played a vital role with courage in restoring democracy after the 1/11," she said.

The Awami League President described various success of her government during the last six years in various sectors including education, health, power and energy, poverty alleviation, creation of employments.

Sheikh Hasina hoped that Bangladesh would certainly be a middle income country much earlier than 2021 and developed one by 2041 if Awami League government remains in power.

Photo: Saiful Islam Kallol