No political case filed against BNP men: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said there are no political cases filed against BNP leaders and activists.

"The cases against them (BNP) are related to different crimes. They committed offenses. So, legal action is being taken against them," she said.

The premier made the remarks while addressing an event arranged in Gono Bhaban to exchange views with the central committee members of Bangladesh Krishak League on the occasion of its 52th founding anniversary.

She said the cases should be disposed of quickly to ensure punishment for these crimes.

The PM said the cases were filed for commitment of crimes like arson violence, killing people, corruption, arms smuggling and grenade attacks.

Noting that BNP unleashed arson violence in 2013 and 2014 in a bid to resist the 2014 general election, she said they burnt 3,800 cars, buses, launches and trains.

Talking about the violence before the recently held 12th parliamentary election, Hasina said they committed the October 28 incident and killed a mother and her child by setting fire to trains to thwart the polls.

"Should not show cases be filed against those who committed these things? Would people worship them?" she said.

She said today they are raising the issue everywhere that cases are filed against them. They have to be asked what the cases were filed for, she added.

Turning down the claim that 60 lakh BNP leaders and workers are in jail, the prime minister said that the jails of the country have no capacity to accommodate so many people.

"They're claiming that their 60 lakh men are arrested, but we (our jails) don't even have such capacity (to accommodate so many people)," she said.

The premier said if so many BNP men are detained in jails, it means all who are now in jails are their men and there are no other criminals anymore there. "It means all criminals there (who are in the jails) belong to BNP," she said.

Depicting the horrific scenes of violence and torture on Awami League leaders and activists during the BNP regimes, the PM said her government did not go to take revenge, but instead devoted its merit and power to developing the country and working for its people.

"It is lucky for them that we are in power. They still can get scope to talk (raise voice) as we are not revengeful like them. They talk all day using the loudspeaker and then they say they don't get scope to speak," she said.