Hartal, blockade lose bite, says Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said hartal and blockade enforced by the BNP-Jamaat alliance had lost the bite, and these were nothing but programmes for killing people.

"[They're] calling hartal every day, enforcing blockade every day, but these are not effective actually, [they're] killing so many people, I don't know why these are being done," she said.

Hasina came up with the remarks in her speech made during a visit to the ICT division of posts, telecommunications and information technology ministry.

She said the government was doing whatever was needed to stop the killing in the name of hartal and blockade, and urged people to stay aware.

The country has achieved enough progress in all sectors. "But, we're experiencing some problems at present... this is unfortunate, arson attacks, burning and killing people are taking place, these are causing problems to all," the PM told her audience.

Hasina further said these destructive activities would not continue for a long time. "We'll be able to overcome these problems," she added.

The PM vowed afresh to establish digital Bangladesh by 2021, saying that the country had already achieved a lot of progress to this end.

She hoped that her government would launch the country's own satellite in the space within the stipulated time.

Hasina also said specific work plans were being undertaken to build digital Bangladesh overcoming deadlocks created by BNP-Jamaat.

State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Division Junaid Ahmed Polok was present.

PM ON MARCH 7 SPEECH

At a seminar on Bangabandhu's historic March 7 Speech, Hasina yesterday said it was high time to resist those who wanted to snatch the rights of the country's people and wanted to play with their fate.

"Our struggle is yet to be over… still, militant activities are there and people are being killed and oppressed in the country. Despite that we'll have to move ahead," she said.

Hasina said the historic speech by Bangabandhu on March 7, 1971, would also be a guideline for the young generation who would lead the nation in future.