Govt can't do anything until court verdict

The government has nothing to do about banning the Jamaat-e-Islami right now as a case in this regard is pending before a court, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said yesterday.

“Perhaps, we can do nothing here until the court delivers the judgment,” she said in parliament while replying to a supplementary question from Chattogram-2 MP Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizvandary, chairman of Bangladesh Tarikat Federation.

The PM hoped that the court would pass the verdict soon and the Jamaat would be banned.

Hasina reminded the House that the Election Commission had scrapped Jamaat's registration as a political party after it had failed to fulfil the prerequisites. The registration with the EC is a must for taking part in a general election.

However, it is regrettable that Jamaat leaders became MP candidates in the December 30 polls with the BNP's electoral symbol “Sheaf of Paddy”, the PM said.

The ruling Awami League secured a landslide victory in the election, bagging 257 out of the 299 seats.

Hasina expressed her gratitude to the people for not voting for Jamaat. “The people of Bangladesh totally rejected them [Jamaat men]”.

She also informed parliament that the government had started negotiations with other countries to bring back fugitive convicts in different cases related to killing, money laundering, 10-truck arms-haul, the August 21-grenade attack and embezzlement of orphans' money.  

“I do believe Insha'Allah we'll be able to execute their punishment after bringing them back to the country,” she said.

Replying to a question from opposition Jatiya Party lawmaker Rustum Ali Faraji (Pirojpur-3), the premier said all-out efforts were underway to complete the construction of the Padma Bridge by December.

She mentioned that 62 percent of the physical construction work of the Padma multipurpose bridge project had already been done.

Replying to another question from Awami League MP Shafiqul Islam Shimul (Natore-2), Hasina said she considered the premiership as a responsibility, not a matter of enjoyment.

“The premiership is not a matter of enjoyment to me; it is a responsibility and definitely a difficult responsibility,” she said.

Talking about a comment from the MP that she made a rare record being elected the PM for three consecutive terms, Hasina said she did not do politics for making records.

In reply to a question from AL lawmaker Mahfuzur Rahman (Chattogram-3), the prime minister highlighted different reasons behind the AL's victory in the 11th general election.

She said people re-elected her party through a free, fair and participatory election.

“This victory was an expected one,” she said, adding that such predictions were made in reports prepared based on different pre-polls local and foreign surveys.

Without naming anyone, Hasina said competitions intensify if the rivals are strong.  “It didn't seem to me that those who were our main rivals had any electoral preparation and strategy,” she said.

Responding to a question from AL MP Bazlul Haque Haroon (Jhalakathi-1), the PM said the government would formulate a plan to coordinate all research activities through the establishment of a flagship university at the national level in near future.