BRACING FOR UN ADDRESS: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina sits in the audience as she awaits her turn to address attendees during the 70th session of the UN General Assembly in New York yesterday.
By Mizan Rahman
Dhaka
Expressing surprise over the issuance of travel alerts by some diplomatic missions in Dhaka for their citizens after the murder of an Italian national, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said there is no justification
of issuing such travel alerts.
“The US government didn’t announce red alert when two Bangladeshi nationals were killed in New York a few years ago. Other diplomatic missions also didn’t issue any such alert for their citizens. I don’t know why some diplomatic missions in Dhaka did this,” she said.
The prime minister was speaking at the Bangladesh Permanent Mission in New York, the foreign ministry in Dhaka yesterday quoted a message
as saying.
“Haven’t I observed suspicious activities of a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader after the murder of the Italian national? I think the clue of the murder would be found if the BNP leader is interrogated. I’ll take measures on my return home.”
Asked about the alleged involvement of the Islamic State (IS) in the killing of the Italian citizen in Dhaka, the prime minister said there was information from Chicago claiming it to be the work of IS.
But, according to her own intelligence reports, no one in Bangladesh has so far claimed any responsibility for the killing.
Hasina said there is certainly a strong force behind the killing. “So they want to create a situation. Terrorism and militancy are not only happening in Bangladesh,
it’s a global phenomenon.”
The prime minister said Bangladesh believes in peace, certainly not in militancy. “We don’t want emergence of militants in Bangladesh. We’re really very shocked at the killing of a foreign national. It’s a tragic incident.”
Regarding the demand by Awami Ulema League to establish Shariah-based legal system, the prime minister said the Bangladesh constitution guarantees equal rights of worship to people of all religions.
Without mentioning secular bloggers by name, Hasina said if people prefer not to believe in any particular religion, it is entirely up to them. “But, hurting other people’s religious sentiment cannot be tolerated,” she asserted.
The prime minister said her government would consider taking action against people involved in hurting other people’s religious sentiment.
Ruling out the possibility of any mid-term election in Bangladesh, Hasina said that the next general election will be held in due time in 2019 as per the constitution and the law of the land.
“The last (national) election was held under our national law. The next election will also take place in due time and under our national law. Only those who don’t like the country’s uninterrupted economic progress demand mid-term elections,” she said.
Replying to a question, the prime minister said under the parliamentary system, the second largest party in parliament is the opposition party.
She further said, “But in our country we have another party which didn’t contest in the last election and engaged in militant and homicidal activities. They sometimes show their existence by setting fire to vehicles, and killing people alive, even
children and women.”
Terming her visit to New York as a successful one, the prime minister said the UNGA has adopted the crucial post-2015 agenda, a very ‘pro-people’ goal for sustainable development of the nations, particularly for poor ones. Besides, Hasina said, she held very successful bilateral meetings with India, Japan, the Netherlands and China.
Acknowledging the risk of international terrorism and militancy in Bangladesh the Prime Minister said those people who plunged the country into politics of killing and coup have connection with international terrorism.
“Certainly, the war criminals and killers of Bangabandhu would try to create an instability in the country and they have ceaselessly been trying to do this. “Against their evil practice, she said the government is making all-out efforts to maintain a peaceful situation in the
country.”
