Uproot graft, drug menace

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the home ministry officials to work to uproot corruption, drug and militancy for building Bangladesh as a peaceful nation in South Asia.

“Corruption, drug and militancy gripped the whole society like deadly diseases as the military dictators ruled the country for a long time,” she said while visiting the home ministry at the secretariat.

Actions should be taken against the drug producers, sellers and traders, the PM said, adding that militancy should be under control and corruption must be stamped out.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Secretary of the ministry Mostafa

Kamal Uddin also spoke on the occasion attended by ministry high officials.

Praising the role of law enforcers in containing militancy, the PM said every situation can be controlled carefully when mass people are involved there.

“Now, the militancy is under our control, but we have to stop it forever as it has posed a global threat.”

Reiterating her government's stance against corruption, Hasina said corruption has grabbed the society as a disease which is obstructing the country's progress to a larger extent.

“No government in the world increased salaries and other allowances of their staffers at a time to such an extent what we have done. At the same time, the government has taken steps to provide them with better residential facilities.”

“So, we have to remain careful about corruption,” Hasina said.

The PM said military dictators indulged them in corruption and created opportunities for others to be corrupt. Military rulers are also the promoter of practice of defaulting on bank loans in Bangladesh, she said.

Mentioning the rise of “Bangla Bhai” and other militant groups in different parts of the country during the BNP-Jamaat government, she said unfortunately the militants and terrorists got the upper hand from an elected government in the past.

Hasina said her government has been making efforts to free the nation from those “sickness” and is ready to do everything to eliminate those menaces from the society. A country can never progress with those disorders, she said.

The PM said since her return home from exile in 1981, she has been struggling for establishing democracy and economic emancipation of the people.

Assuming office in 1996, her government was making constant efforts to reach the benefits of independence to the doorstep of the people, she said.

The PM said, “Taking office for the first time, I noticed a gross negligence of the previous governments to the home ministry and other ministries and departments as well.

“The home ministry even had a lack of adequate manpower and infrastructural and training facilities. Since then we are trying to strengthen the home ministry through various steps.”

Hasina said those who are responsible for ensuring security of people's lives must have to achieve people's confidence, which is possible by providing expected services to the people. The government will look into the facilities of the service providing personnel, she said.

The PM said her government has taken up a project to create employment opportunities for people languishing in jail for a long time. Under the project, she said prisoners would be engaged in producing various handicraft items.

They will also be allowed to sell those items and get dividends from profits of the business, she said.

Appreciating the intelligence agencies for their excellent job, the PM said the detective personnel should be equipped with more sophisticated gadgets so that they can strengthen monitoring, locate and arrest criminals more quickly.

Pointing out the welfare activities taken for the law enforcement agencies and their families, Hasina said her government has taken steps for development of barracks, dormitories and quarters of the police officers in all districts and upazilas.

Measures have also been taken to establish a fire service and civil defence unit at every upazila level with adequate trained manpower.

The government has also taken steps for rehabilitation of the Sundarbans' robbers as rehabilitation and correction of a criminal is very important to encourage them to come to a better life, she said.

The PM said those who want to return to normal life will be given all support.