Terrorism and militancy is now a global challenge: HPM Sheikh Hasina

She said the Gulshan terror attack and subsequent incidents were carried out by a quarter with vested interest aimed at maligning the bright image of Bangladesh as 'a role model of development' which the country has earned over the years through persistent endevour of her government.

Gulshan attack has undoubtedly harmed Bangladesh's image outside though terrorism and militancy have now emerged as a common global challenge, she said in a press conference at her Gonobhaban residence.

The issue of terrorism and militancy in the aftermath of recent terror attacks in Bangladesh and other countries came up dominantly in the press conference arranged to inform the media about the participation of the Prime Minister in ASEM11 Summit in Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar on July 15-16.

However, the Prime Minister said in Gulshan terror attack there might have been hand of the ulterior local and foreign groups which could not accept our development amidst global economic slowdown.

Sheikh Hasina said a national consensus has been created among the people of the country against terrorism and extreme violence, except those who have link with militancy and terrorism and have records of war crime and burning people alive.

"But unity of the common people which is truly required for eliminating terrorists, has already been forged and this unity will continue," she said.

Denying the notion that international media exaggerated the terror news of Bangladesh, the prime minister rather blamed it on local media saying international media is not so curious like local ones in broadcasting live the incidents.

"They broadcast an incident carefully avoiding its horrific side. But our media don't care about it and they even disclose and bring in live telecast of the preparation of the law enforcing agencies against the criminals," she said.

The world media always use local media as its source, she said adding that during Gulshan terror attack international media including CNN have rallied the news and pictures of Bangladeshi television channels. "So whom we will blame?" she asked.

Sheikh Hasina said her government is giving importance on sharing intelligence information with foreign countries to identify the persons who are behind motivating the sons of well-off families to be radicalized as well as their financier, arms suppliers and trainers.

The Prime Minister said the whole world is scared of the terrorist attack as it is happening everywhere in the world. Consciousness has grown among people about the heinous acts and they don't want repetition of such occurrences.

About the rumors of more attack in the country like Gulshan attack, the Prime Minister said it's quite natural that everybody would be afraid of such attack. But life never remains standstill. Police are taking action to restore public confidence and ensure their safety. However, everybody has to remain careful to remain safe from anything unpleasant, she said.

Replying to a question, the prime minister said student politics is not disallowed in private universities, but the institutions are running as per their own regulations barring the students to practice political activities on the campus. But any scope for students to indulge in terror activities is very unfortunate.

"Unlike our common notion about Madrasa students and children of poor families who tend to be terrorists, children of rich families who are brought up in an affluent environment and are studying in English medium are going to be spoiled in those institutions," she said adding she cannot understand why those boys get derailed to get fairies in haven.

"Those people who are giving the children the lesson of homicide are wrong. Door of haven is not open for murderers and 'Huur' (fairies) would not be available," she said urging the journalists to help the government to understand the psychology of the section of youths and find out their masterminds.

Replying to a question, the Prime Minister said Gulshan terror attack was not the first brutality in Bangladesh. The country has witnessed a number of such incidents in the past when she was the main target, she said.

"A grisly grenade attack on an Awami League rally in 2004 killed 22 people including Ivy Rahman. In broad daylight, a 76-kg bomb was planted to kill me in Kotalipara and I survived an attack of police in Chittagong in 1988 when 24 people were killed in open firing," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said since her return to Bangladesh in 1981 she and her party have become victims of such attacks many times when many of her party men embraced martyrdom. She mentioned the incidents during Zia and Ershad regimes when running trucks ploughed through the marchers in front of Jatiya Press Club and Fulbaria in the capital, killing many of them on the spot like the incident in Nice, France on Friday last.

"We have gone through those types of attacks, which we could contain after coming to power in 2009," she said adding her government also successfully restrained the arson attacks and burning people alive.

"But, the terror attack that shattered Gulshan was not only the problem of Bangladesh. We kept such incident under our control, but now its blaze has erupted across the world," she said even such incidents are taking place in many developed countries.

Laying importance on elaborate collaboration among nations to contain terrorism, the Prime Minister said every country has to cooperate with each other to combat the menaces. It's important to know who are behind those attacks, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said issues of terrorism and extreme violence got priority in ASEM Summit in the backdrop of serial terror attacks in various part of the world particularly Nice terror attack. And the ASEM leaders agreed to share information and do everything which is necessary to combat terrorism, she said.

"In the meeting with US assistant secretary of state Nisha Deshai Biswal, we have also laid utmost importance on information sharing, technical assistant for conducting forensic test of dead bodies and look into the arms supply chain."

The Prime Minister said the Gulshan attackers frequently changed their names making it difficult to identify them immediately. Police didn't try to hide the names of any criminal, she said.

About the cross border trespass of the terrorists, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh government is closely working with India and neighbouring West Bengal state to resist criminals.

Sheikh Hasina said the government has taken initiatives to form committees up to village level to make people aware against militancy and terrorism through religious sermon, school teaching and other social discourses.