Killers of SP's wife won't go scot free: PM

Describing the killing of the wife of a police officer in Chittagong as a cowardly act, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to bring the perpetrators of such a secret killing to justice.

"I can say that those who committed the killing won't go scot free ... they must be tracked down and brought to the justice," she said while exchanging views with the expatriate Bangladeshis at the Madina Hilton here on Monday evening.

Mahmuda Akter Mitu, the wife of Babul Akter, superintendent of police of Dhaka police headquarters, was stabbed and shot dead by motorbike-riding assailants in the port city of Chittagong on Sunday morning.

Sheikh Hasina said there was no offence of the police officer's wife. "She was killed in front of her kid while she was going to drop the child at his school...this is very regrettable incident," the PM said.

The prime minister said the stance of her government against terrorism and corruption is very clear. "We would never allow terrorism .... we don't want such an incident happens in Bangladesh," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that those who unleashed arson attacks in buses, trains, launches and burnt the people to deaths are now engaged in secret killings.

Spelling out her government's success in different sectors, the prime minister said the government placed a Tk 3,40,605 crore national budget in parliament for the FY17. "No government in the past could deliver such a huge budget," she said.

About the country's continuous economic prosperity, she said many (people) want to describe it as "miracle".

"But, I would say it is not miracle, it is our sincerity as since we've passion and love for the countrymen and always work for the welfare of the people, we could deliver.........no other party except Awami League could work for the welfare of the people," she added.

Recalling the contributions of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to presenting a better life to the people of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh could have become a developed country at least 20 years back, had Bangabandhu been alive more.

She said that since her government works for the welfare of the people with sincerity, the country has been developing gradually day by day. "When the country remains well, then the expatriate Bangladeshis could move ahead keeping their head high and such reputation is a great asset," she said.

Sheikh Hasina also noted that none would anymore look towards Bangladesh in the eyes of negligence, saying Bangladesh has become a "role model" of development in the world.

Highlighting her successful Saudi visit including the meeting with King Salman, she said that from onwards efforts would be there to boost the bilateral trade with the KSA while the meeting with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI) also became productive.

She said that Bangladesh has joined the Islamic Alliance against terrorism and violent extremism since the country's stance is always very firm against corruption and terrorism.

Acknowledging the contribution of the expatriate Bangladeshis in the country's economy, the prime minister said that none would be able to rebuke Bangladesh as poor.

"We've advanced a lot to come out of the poverty level and we would be able to move much ahead......we've such a confidence," she added.

The prime minister also highlighted various achievements of her government in different socioeconomic fields including raising the foreign currency reserves to $29 billion, increasing per capita income to $1466, reducing poverty rate, generating more employment, undertaking bigger projects as well as enhancing salary and allowances of the public servants.

Sheikh Hasina assured the expatriate Bangladeshis in KSA of solving their various problems and advised them to always abide by the law of the land of the Kingdom.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Bangladesh Ambassador to KSA Golam Masih, and PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim were present, among others.