Remain alert so killers, war criminals can't come to power again: PM

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina today reiterated her call to the countrymen to remain alert so the murderers and war criminals cannot come to the power again to destroy the country.

"We have achieved victory. We have to march ahead upholding the flag of victory. So, we all have to be alert to make sure that the killers and war criminals cannot destroy the country after coming to power again," she said.

The prime minister said this while presiding over a discussion organised by the Awami League (AL) at the Krishibid Institute Bangladesh (KIB) at Khamarbari of Farmgate in the capital city, marking the 52nd Victory Day.

She said the BNP wanted to oust the AL government giving an ultimatum of December 10 when the process of killing the country's intellectuals started ahead of the cherished victory 51 years back. BNP is not even observing programmes marking Victory Day, she said.

"Is it (thwarting the AL government) so easy?" She posed a question.

The premier said, "AL can (topple governments). We had ousted Ayub Khan. We had removed Yahya Khan after defeating him in the Liberation War. We could not oust Ziaur Rahman, but protests were staged wherever he had gone. We had thwarted Ershad".

"We also have removed Khaleda Zia on charges of rigging vote in the February 15, 1996 national election and foiled the attempt of holding a farcical election with 1.23 crore fake voters in 2006 by Khaleda Zia," she added.

But, she said it is difficult to oust the Awami League government through movements.

"Conspiracies are hatched whenever Awami League is in power. We had been barred from coming to power due to conspiracies in 2001. The people of the country had to suffer for it," the premier said.

People have to take the decision whether they want to suffer or to march towards prosperity with an indomitable pace holding the flag of victory, she said, adding, "We will build 'Smart Bangladesh' by 2041".

Road Transport and Bridges Minister and AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, MP, gave the address of welcome.

AL Advisory Council Member Amir Hossain Amu, MP, Presidium Members Begum Matia Chowdhury, MP, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, MP, Shajahan Khan, MP, Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Bir Bikram, and Simeen Hussain Rimi, MP, Joint General Secretary and Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, MP, Liberation War Affairs Secretary Advocate Mrinal Kanti Das, MP, Dhaka North and South City AL President and General Secretary Sheikh Bazlur Rahman and Humayun Kabir respectively, among others, spoke on the occasion.

AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, MP, and his deputy M Aminul Islam moderated the discussion.