No Mercy For The Fire Terrorists: PM

"There is nothing to be more crimes against humanity than burning the people to death. Those who unleashed such crimes will have to be brought to the book. They can't get any mercy.... they must get stern punishment so that they don't dare to repeat atrocities," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while delivering her introductory speech at the meeting of senior officials of the Home Ministry and other organizations under the ministry at Bangladesh Secretariat on 7th May, 2015.

Sheikh Hasina said there are two challenges before the government-one is terrorism and other is militancy.

"However, we are facing two types of militancy -- one is professional militancy and other is the BNP-led 20-party-sponsored militancy," she said.

In this connection the Prime Minister asked the law enforcers to nip the militancy in the bud so that it never emerges in the country.

"I would like to request the law enforcement agencies to take prompt actions so that the militancy never emerges in the country and none can burn the people to death," she said.

Coming down heavily again on the BNP-Jamaat nexus for unleashing atrocities in the name of the so-called movement, Sheikh Hasina said she has never seen such type of movement.

Referring the enforcement of nonstop blockades by the BNP-Jamaat clique, she said nobody knows that whether the blockade exists or not. "I don't know whether the BNP leader feels any shame to withdraw blockades," she said.

The Prime Minister regretted that BNP-Jamaat terrorists burnt the innocent people to death alive through their destructive activities like hurling petrol bombs and arson attacks and left more hundreds of people injured who would have to bear pains until their death.

"The human beings are the best creatures of Allah....but the BNP-Jamaat killed that human beings by burning and pouring petrol," she said," adding there is nothing to be heinous like killing the people by burning.

Raising question about three months' so-called movement of the BNP-Jamaat, the Prime Minister said Khaleda Zia achieved nothing by staying at her office for long 92 days but caused unbearable sufferings to the common people.

Sheikh Hasina highly appreciated the role of the law enforcement agencies in maintaining law and order by containing terrorist and subversive acts of the BNP-Jamaat nexus as well as helping in holding three city elections in free, fair and peaceful manner.

Talking about 21st August grenade attack on the Awami League rally, the Prime Minister accused the BNP-Jamaat government of involving in the grisly attack on a broad daylight and asked the law enforcement agencies to speed up the trial of the culprits.

"You will have to speed up the trial of the grenade attackers and ensure their stern punishment," she said.

The Prime Minister in her speech also elaborated various measures for the development and welfare of the various organizations under the Ministry of Home.

She said various time-befitting steps have been undertaken to modernize police force, BGB, Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence, Bangladesh Coast Guards and Directorate of Passport and Immigration.

In this connection, she asked the Home Ministry officials to expedite the process for implementing the government's decision to recruit 50,000 more police personnel.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has been working to make Bangladesh as a bridge between the East and the West considering the very important geographical location of the country.

In this regard, she directed the officials of the Home Ministry and various law enforcement agencies of the country to play their due role to ensure peace and stability in the country.

"Our aim is to advance the country further and ensure security for the people and we are working to achieve this goal," she said.

The Prime Minister also asked the officials of the home ministry to create mass awareness about earthquake as Bangladesh is a tremor- prone country.

Photo: Saiful Islam Kallol