Unite, help to fight secret killings

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon people from every corner of the country to get united against killers and conspirators and sought their help to trace perpetrators of the recent secret killings.

"To find out perpetrators of the recent secret killings, we want help from everyone who believes in the sprit of Liberation War and wants peace and progress," she said.

If people get united nobody would be able to play duck and drakes with their fate and nobody can obstruct their march towards development, added the PM. Hasina, also the ruling Awami League president, was addressing a public rally organised by her party at Suhrawardy Udyan on the eve of Jail Killing Day.

On November 3, 1975, four national leaders were killed in captivity inside Dhaka Central Jail. They are wartime government's acting president Syed Nazrul Islam, prime minister Tajuddin Ahmed, finance minister M Mansur Ali, and minister for home affairs, relief and rehabilitation AHM Qamaruzzaman.

At yesterday's rally, Hasina alleged certain quarters are trying to portray Bangladesh as a “terrorist state” and as a country where global militant body Islamic State has organisational presence.  

She added people of Bangladesh never bow down to any conspiracy and there is no room for militants in the country. "I want to warn those who are trying to hatch conspiracy against Bangladesh.”

Regarding the recent secret killings, the PM said those who are committing those will be tried in this land.  At the same time, their masterminds and patrons would also be brought to book. "We do what we say," she said.

Hasina alleged that anti-liberation forces are behind the secret killings to protect war criminals. But, she said, nobody can stop the ongoing trial of war criminals.

The AL chief claimed some of those who carried out the killings have already been identified. "Whenever there were investigations into any killings, it was found that the killers were engaged either in Chhatra Shibir or Chhatra Dal politics during their student lives," she added.

Hasina lambasted her political archrival Khaleda Zia, saying the BNP chairperson is hatching conspiracy from abroad in a bid to tarnish the country's image after failing to topple the government through killing and arson in the name of hartal and blockade.

"Khaleda Zia's agitation means killing and burning people. She has not withdrawn her blockade yet and her blockade is still in effect. But people do not respond to her call."

Khaleda designed secret killings of Awami League leaders, activists, writers, publishers and foreigners and her affection for Pakistan is the main problem of Bangladesh, the PM alleged.

Sounding a note of warning, Hasina said if anyone tries to create obstacle to the country's progress, he/she must be punished. "Conspiracy started on August 15, 1975, but Bangladesh moved ahead overcoming every conspiracy."

The rally was also addressed by party leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Matia Chowdhury, Mohammad Nasim, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Syed Ashraful Islam, among others.