IS presence claim ploy to taint country's image: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said a vested quarter is cooking a plot behind the scene to taint Bangladesh’s image to create a situation like in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Iraq and Syria, saying that there is the presence of Islamic State (IS) in the country.

“There’s a tremendous international pressure on Bangladesh after some recent incidents to make us admit that there’s the presence of Islamic State here [Bangladesh],” she told a press conference at her official residence Gono Bhaban.

The press conference was arranged to brief the media about the outcome of her just-concluded three-day visit to the Netherlands.

Hasina said it was very much regretful that a section of people of the country is also trying to prove that there is the presence of IS in Bangladesh.

"We definitely don’t expect any situation in Bangladesh as in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria and Libya…We don't want anybody to use our lands," she said.

The prime minister, however, did not mention any country or quarter or person name engaged in such a plot.

Sheikh Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, said the recent incidents in the country had been carried out in a planned way. "They’ve got many plans for the future, too…They want to go to a greater length just to get it done that Bangladesh is an unsafe place," she said.

Compared to the incidents taking place in any city of the USA and the UK, she said Bangladesh is a very much safe place.

The ruling party chief said the international quarter and the local vested group want the government to admit that there is IS in Bangladesh. "If they succeed, they’ll just prey on us, many have that type of planning," she told journalists.

Sheikh Hasina said if these vested groups managed to prove that Bangladesh has IS or militants, what will be the situation of the people of this country. "The people of Bangladesh will have to think about that. It’s clear who are doing this.”

The prime minister went on saying, "I want to say it clearly that we’re seeing who are doing this…Those who have been held for their alleged involvement in such incidents are the members of a particular political party. During their student life, they were involved in Chhatra Shibir or involved in BNP. We’re not seeing anyone else out of this."

Hasina said at a time when the country is marching forward they [vested quarters] are trying to establish that Bangladesh is not safe. "This has been created artificially."

Talking about capturing the financiers of these incidents and the lobbyists appointed to tarnish Bangladesh’s image, the prime minister clearly said her government has already got some information about this.

"One party is financing and another is involved in killing and murdering. This is clear, we have some information and are trying to assemble more information about that," she said.

NO DIALOGUE WITH ‘KILLER’ KHALEDA

The premier outright rejected the BNP Chairperson’s proposal for sitting in a national dialogue saying she does not like to sit with a “killer like Khaleda Zia”.

"The smell of burned human bodies will come from her [Khaleda] when I’ll sit beside her," Hasina told at the press conference.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in a recent statement called upon the government to create an atmosphere for a national dialogue to overcome the country’s current crisis in the interest of the nation.

In her statement, Khaleda said, “Under the current critical juncture of the country, you [govt] create an environment for initiating a national dialogue to get rid of the crisis, shunning despotic attitude and not blocking the scope for flourishing democracy for the sake of the nation.”

Hasina, also the chief of the ruling Awami League, said the BNP chairperson killed and murdered people in the name of resisting the last general election. "Bangladesh is not in such a political crisis or bankruptcy for which we have to sit with such a killer [Khaleda]," Hasina said.

The prime minister asked those who have a soft corner for Khaleda Zia to bring back the lives which were taken away during the anti-election period and blockade and hartal early this year. "Bring back those lives and fix the lives of those got disabled in their destructive acts. Then, I’ll consider it," she said.

Hasina said Khaleda has no quality to sit for dialogue with her. "She will gain the eligibility only when she’ll say the trial of war criminals should be held in Bangladesh, they’re the enemies of the country’s independence,” she said.

The prime minister said she will consider the dialogue offer only when Khaleda will part the company of war criminals.