Local and foreign conspiracies abound to establish non-existent IS presence in Bangladesh: PM Sheikh Hasina

"By doing this they want to place Bangladesh in the same line with other Muslim countries now reeling under militancy, terrorism and conflicts. Our acknowledgement in this regard would make it easy for them to invade Bangladesh like other countries," she said

The prime minister said this in the press conference at her Gonobhaban residence here today. The press conference was arranged to inform the media about the outcome of her first official visit to Netherlands from November 3 to 6, 2015.

Sheikh Hasina said, "Many quarters are pressing us to confess the IS existence in Bangladesh to create a situation here like Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Libya. Without naming any country, she said, "they want to bring Bangladesh in line with those countries and that is the part of their conspiracy.

"My question is, if they can take an acknowledgement from us about the existence of IS in Bangladesh, what would be the situation of our country," she asked saying we don't want a situation in Bangladesh like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria or Libya.

"International parties are involved with the conspiracy as well some of local people are linked with it unfortunately. As a nation we would have to face dire consequences if we don't take care about it," she said urging people to remain conscious about the issue saying we don't want anybody to use our land or create any occurrence here.

Sheikh Hasina said her government is under tremendous pressure to acknowledging the fact that militants of Islamic State exist here. But, our observation is clear as we know the elements behind the recent killing of foreigners, slaughters of bloggers and police personnel. In our society everybody knows each other, nobody is alien, she said.

The prime minister said many incidents are taking place across the world. Bangladesh is also not out of that common phenomenon. Bangladesh wants to remain as a peaceful country. Once upon a time militant outfits had sprouted here and we have crushed them with strong hands with the support of the people.

Sheikh Hasina hold BNP and Jamaat responsible for the recent killings and said being failed to dislodge the government through subversive activities, arson, petrol bomb attacks and killings they have now taken resort to secret killings. They want to create an unstable situation, she said.

The prime minister said the persons who were caught in this connection with the killings are mostly members of a particular group. During student life they were involved with the politics of Islami Chhatra Shibir or BNP. They are linked with those killings and they are creating the incidents. We see linkage of no outsider with those occurrences, she said.

Sheikh Hasina lambasted that conspiracy is going against Bangladesh at a time when the country is progressing economically and people are living in peace and economic solvency. They are trying to raise issue of insecurity when Bangladesh is prospering economically and living standard of the people is improving.

The prime minister said the government has information that a group of people is supplying money and another group is carrying out the killings and subversive incidents. In this regard the government has collected many information and tying to gather more. The criminals are taking the advantage of the demerits of digitalization, she said adding the government is trying to find out the links of the criminals who are conducting these criminal activities.

On the claim of some western countries about the insecurity of their people in Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said many Bangladeshi people were murdered in the USA over the years. None can ask the question to American president why the US cities became unsafe for them.

Though recent killings happened in a scattered manner but these are linked to a well-thought-out plan to establish the fact that Bangladesh has become an unsafe place for foreigners, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is a densely populated small country where scattered incidents are very usual. But the number of the incidents is not more than that of other counties. If compared, you will see that Bangladesh is much safer a place than those countries, she said.

The premier said some counties want to create a plea so that they can intrude into Bangladesh at any time and carry out assault on us at any moment in the name of combating Islamic terrorists. They want to create such a situation, she said adding "I can say this so candidly, as I love my country and I'm devoted to the cause of my country.

Ruling out any dialogue with BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia the prime minister said she (Khaleda Zia) missed the opportunity when it came to reach national consensus before January 5, 2014 election. Now Bangladesh is not in a situation or political crisis for what the government needs to sit with a killer, she said.

The prime minister questioned the intension of Khaleda Zia for the national dialogue saying Khaleda Zia is carrying out the killings and subversive activities to press home their demand to sit on dialogue and declare the national election.

Sheikh Hasina said ignoring all past bad experiences she tried to reach her in the interest of the politics and country as well before the general election in 2014. But even being the prime minister of the country Khaleda Zia repeatedly insulted her. Begum Zia preferred killing of innocent people indiscriminately instead of coming to the election and join the election-time all-party government, she said.

"So I have no interest to sit for dialogue with any a person having record of burning people," Sheikh Hasina said.

However, she said her government would consider dialogue with BNP on one condition. She said Khaleda Zia must support the trial of the war criminals and lend her support to the ongoing trial of the war criminals. "Before that none should request me to sit with her in any dialogue", Sheikh Hasina urged. The prime minister said the government has taken best possible and adequate security measures all over the country to ensure law and order and is taking quick action following an incident. Members of the law enforcing agencies are delivering their relentless service in this regard, she said adding combing operation of joint forces has already been launched to nab the troublemakers.

The prime minister laid importance on making people aware about the criminal activities and making people understand who are committing this type of incidents one after another and who are out to annihilate the journalists, writers, bloggers and publishers. She also sought support of the journalists and countrymen to identify the location and dens of the criminals.

Sheikh Hasina clearly said her government believes in secular democracy. Her government has ensured religious freedom of the people.

Sheikh Hasina said she has full faith in her own religion and respect to every religion as well. Secular persons should have the morality to pay respect to the religion of each other, she said.

She urged the press not to create fright in people after any brutal incident committed by zealots. The target of the criminals is to scare people. So press should remain careful about their ill motive and they should not write anything which may aggravate the situation. Rather journalists should help the government to identify and arrest the criminals, she said.