Think about new leadership

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon Awami League leaders to think about the new party leadership.

Recalling the days when she was elected party president, the premier said long 37 years passed since she had taken over as the party chief.

“I think it is a long time. May be it is not right to be in the post for such a long time. You should think about the new leadership. I'll be always there for the party and the country.” she said.

Hasina, also the AL chief, was addressing party leaders who greeted her at the Gono Bhaban on the occasion of her Homecoming Day.

The PM said if the party remained strong, united and beside the people, it would not be a problem to achieve anything. The AL has proved it repeatedly, she said citing examples from 1952, 1971 and other years.

She asked all the party leaders and activists to build themselves with the ideals of Bangabandhu who never did politics for his personal gains.

She emphasised on introducing a system in the country like that of the Nuremberg trial system under which there would be no need for producing any witness against war criminals.

“There is no need for any witness for holding trials of war criminals as documents are there. Judges in Nuremberg didn't take any witness account, and that trial [process] is still underway as the trial for war crimes committed during the World War II is going on. We can take such a step in our country also.”

She said the witnesses of war crimes were facing attacks and torture. “I have received complaints about many such incidents and taken steps.”

Hasina said the attackers of witnesses would also be treated as war criminals. “They also must face trial as war criminals...they must be awarded the capital punishment.”

She called upon AL leaders and activists to look after the witnesses of war crimes and make sure that no one can torture them.

Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wanted to build the country and he got involved in massive development works after the country's independence.

The country's GDP was above 7 percent at that time when the conspirators struck, she added.

“That means had there been no conspiracy, Bangladesh would have been established as an independent country. The conspirators wanted to make Bangladesh a failed state.”

Briefly describing the horrible days of Ziaur Rahman's rule, she said all the institutions of an independent country were destroyed. “They didn't want Bangladesh to stand up holding its head high as an independent country.”

She said this attitude had been there until 1996 when the AL returned to power after 21 years.

Mentioning that the AL government was working hard to fulfil the desire of Bangabandhu to make Bangladesh free from poverty and hunger, she said his soul would find peace once it is achieved.