Accusing opposition parties of killing lawmaker Manjurul Islam Liton, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the anti-liberation forces have embarked on an evil design to kill popular Awami League leaders and workers.
“The anti-liberation forces are out to take revenge as we are trying war criminals, and I hear sometimes that they have embarked on an evil design to eliminate the Awami League lawmakers and workers who have strong grassroots support in their areas. Annihilating the popular Awami League leaders is their target,” she said.
The Leader of the House came up with the remarks while participating in a discussion on obituary reference on Liton who was killed by unknown assailants at his Gaibandha home on December 31.
The prime minister reiterated that the killers of Liton must be given proper punishment, saying that such an  incident could not be accepted.
“Such incidents could not be tolerated ... we have taken a firm stance against terrorism and militancy and like that we must track down the killers of Liton and hand down proper 
punishment to them,” she said.
The prime minister also assured that her government would ensure security of the countrymen including the lawmakers. “Let everybody stay safe, we must try our best to 
ensure it,” she promised.
She said the Bangladesh National Party-Jamaat nexus has embarked on killing of the lawmakers when her government has been working relentlessly to ensure peace and development of the country. 
“When we developed the living standard of the people and ensured their food security ... when the country is moving ahead and getting honour and dignity on the world stage, the BNP-Jamaat nexus launched killing by murdering lawmakers. Awami League MPs, members of law enforcement agencies – nobody escapes from their attack,” she said.
Referring to mayhem and rampage unleashed by the Jamaat-Shibir in 2013 and 2014 as well as the first three months of 2015, Hasina said Liton sacrificed his life as he put up a resistance against the BNP-Jamaat terrorism and restored peace in Gaibandha.
“We know well how the Jamaat-Shibir carried out mayhem and rampage in Sundarganj at that time by killing people and policemen, torching and vandalising houses, vehicles, shops and government offices,” she said.
Hasina said the BNP-Jamaat clique had established a reign of terror in North Bengal including Gaibandha. “The JMB leaders led by infamous Bangla Bhai staged truck procession carrying arms openly with the patronage of the BNP-Jamaat ministers and MPs,” she said.