Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday stressed the need for maintaining a peaceful atmosphere in the hill tracts of the country.

“Make it sure peace prevails there [in hills]... we do want that. All must maintain a congenial atmosphere. This is not important who is Pahari [indigenous] and who is Bangalee,” she said.

Hasina was addressing a cross-section of people in Bandarban through video conference after unveiling the results of SSC and equivalent exams at the Gono Bhaban.

The premier said all people have to be treated as human being and everybody has basic rights to enjoy. “We have to fulfill those rights of people.”

She said the government was building residential educational institutions in the hill districts to make education facilities available.

On Friday, five people were shot dead and eight others injured by bullets in an attack by some criminals at Betchhari of Rangamati's Naniarchar upazila.

They came under attack while returning from the funeral programme of slain Naniarchar upazila chairman Shaktiman Chakma.

Shaktiman, 55, also a leader of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (MN Larma), was shot dead by unidentified criminals in front of his office on Thursday.

The PM at the programme said the government attaches the highest importance to education as Bangladesh could only be established as a poverty- and hunger-free country when all its people would be educated.

Probarona Chakma, 4, showing a photograph of her father Sujan Chakma's and herself taken when she was one year old. Sujan Chakma, general secretary of Jubo Samity of Mohalchhari Upazila unit, was one of the five people shot dead in a microbus while on the way to attend upazila chairman Shakti Maan Chakma's funeral. The photo was taken at Huloraam para village under Mohalchhari upazila in Khagrachhari. Photo: Anvil Chakma

She urged the students to be more attentive to their regular studies and develop themselves as the country's qualified citizens.

Hasina called upon all to remain alert so that the country's hard-earned independence did not go in vain.

She expressed satisfaction as Bangladesh has become eligible to graduate to a developing country and hoped the country would soon be a developed and prosperous one.

The premier congratulated the students who passed the examinations and requested the guardians of unsuccessful students to encourage their children so that they can succeed next time.

Talking to people in Barisal, she said the region would no longer fall behind as her government took steps to ensure balanced development of the entire Barisal region.

Steps have been taken to connect Barisal with rail network and efforts are on to grow paddy and other crops tolerant to salinity, she added.