PM vows tough punishment for arsonists

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said tough punishment would be given to those BNP-Jamaat men resorting to militant acts in Bangladesh and killing people by arson and bomb attacks in the name of blockade and hartal.

She also directed leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League and its all associate bodies to build public opinion against militancy across the country.

“We will punish the militants in Bangladesh the way punishment is given to the militants elsewhere in the world, and this is our commitment on the birthday of the father of the nation,” said the premier while addressing a discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

Hasina, also president of the AL, chaired the discussion marking the 96th birthday of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Addressing the discussion, the PM accused BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia of resorting to militancy in the country.

Terming Khaleda as the "queen of militants and destruction", Hasina said, “There will be no place of militancy in Bangladesh. It will be established as a peaceful nation in South Asia.”

The prime minister urged the countrymen to catch those who have been engaged in militant activities and those who will hurl bombs, kill people, set fire to buses and vehicles and hand them over to law enforcement agencies.

AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, senior leaders and ministers Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Hasanul Haque Inu, among others also spoke.