Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday vowed to continue the ongoing anti-corruption drive saying that none would be spared in line with her announcement of zero tolerance policy against graft.
“When I’ve started the drive, I will not spare the corrupts no matter who they are and what their positions are. I don't even consider who is close (to me) or not. I must implement it as I have announced the "zero tolerance policy," she said.
The prime minister made these remarks while replying to a question at a press conference arranged at her official residence Ganabhaban to discuss the outcomes of her recent three-day bilateral visit to China from July 8 to 10.
She said it is her responsibility to take the country to a healthy system removing such irregularities.
“The drive will continue. There is no doubt, I don’t think that the image of my government would be hampered if the drive is carried out. No, I don’t believe it,” she said.
The PM said now the people have known about the matter of corruption in different sectors as her government took a tougher stance against it.
"No one in the past had conducted drives in such a way against corruption," she said.
She said her government has earlier promised to stamp out militancy from the country showing the "zero tolerance policy" against the social curse.
"We have done it successfully. Now, we are taking measures against corruption and it will continue until it is wiped out," she said.
In this context, she mentioned that a peon who earlier worked in her house is now the owner of Tk 400 crore and can’t move without a helicopter. When she came to know, she took action against him, said the PM.
In an oblique reference to Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, the PM said the trial of some corruption cases have also been criticised although the accused committed corruption and misappropriated money of workers.
Beneficiaries of question paper leaks also to face music: PM
The Prime Minister said the government must take action against the beneficiaries of the question paper leaks if they could be traced in investigation.
“We’ll take action against those who are beneficiaries, if they could be found out in investigation. Why won’t we take action against them? They won’t have the right to do jobs,” she said, replying to another question about the leaks of BCS and other job examination question papers.
Hasina said she believes that the beneficiaries should also be punished and so that none would do so in future.
About the gang of question paper leaks, she said "We have to take action against those who are involved in such crimes. Otherwise, it will continue.”
The culture of question paper leaks had started during the regime of Ziaur Rahman and the situation worsened further during the period of Khaleda Zia, she said.
Govt can't act until solution comes from court: PM Hasina on quota system
The Prime Minister said the government has nothing to do now until the solution comes from the court over the quota system in the government jobs.
“The executive authority has nothing to do right now when the higher court or the court passes a judgment. The issue of the court will have to be solved in the court,” she said replying to a question.
Pointing at the anti-quota protesters, she said those who are waging the movement don’t follow the laws and abide by the court, don’t know the Constitution and have any idea how a government runs. “Yes, they are meritorious, but they will have to have ideas about these matters,” she said.
She said the court also has given them (protesters) scope to raise their arguments in the court. But they want to solve the issue on the streets, she added.
“Since the issue went to the court and the court passed a judgment, I’ve no right to stand against the judgment right now and the constitution also doesn’t allow me to do so,” said Hasina.
“We’ve nothing to do here until it is solved in court. It is the reality. They’ll have to accept this reality. Otherwise, we’ve nothing to do and they will continue their movement (without any result),” she said.
The PM warned the protesters that any destructive activities won’t be tolerated in the name of movement.
“They will not be allowed to do any destructive act. No one says anything as long as they continue their peaceful movement. But if they go for anything else like attacking police and their vehicles or other things, the law will take its own course.
The prime minister said her government abolished the quota system in the government jobs following the 2018 movement to see its consequences.
“We abolished the quota system when the movement was waged against it. But what result of this abolishment is seen today?” she said.
Citing that females also joined the 2018 anti-quota movement, she said but only two women in the last BCS examination qualified for foreign services and four for police cadre.
Defending the district-based quota system in the government jobs and for the marginalised community, she said some districts are getting deprived of abolishment of the quota system. Not a single person got a job in police services from 23 districts in an examination, she added.
The marginalised community also has the right to get jobs, she went on.
Criticising the protesters who she said are insulting the freedom fighters, she said, “Why do they have so much anger against the freedom fighters?”
Misconceptions about Prottoy pension scheme: PM on teachers’ movement
The PM said many of them have misconceptions about the new pension scheme (Prottoy scheme), though one or two points (either the point number 24 or 25) of their demand are rational. “It (the points) can be corrected,” she said.
“Since they want to continue the movement, let them do it. When they become tired waging the movement, we will do it", she said.
Don't mind about negative remarks about China visit's outcomes: PM
In reply to a question about the critics of the outcomes of her China visit, the PM said she doesn't heed much to the negative remarks as she has become habituated with hearing negative words in every case since her return to Bangladesh in 1981.
“Let them do what they say now….. It is their one kind of mental illness. None can say such fabricated words without having a full mental illness. I feel sorry for them,” she said.
PM prefers India to implement Teesta project
The Prime Minister said she would prefer India to implement the Teesta project.
“But I would prioratise that India will do it. India keeps the water of Teesta river hampered…. So, they should do the project and they would give whatever is necessary here if they do the project,” she said responding to a question.
She said China has come up with some offers and conducted a feasibility study about the Teesta project and India has also given offers and will carry out a feasibility study.
She, however, said the government will go for the proposal which will be suitable for Bangladesh after completion of feasibility study by India.
PM denounces attack on Donald Trump
Sheikh Hasina has denounced the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump at an election rally on Saturday as unfortunate.
"It is really regrettable. He is a presidential candidate. We definitely condemn it as such an attack was carried out on him,” she said replying to another question.
Noting that America always feels proud of their democracy, she questioned how such an incident occurred in a place like the USA. Trump, a presidential aspirant and former President, has narrowly survived the attack.
“It is our question as to why such an incident took place in a civilized country like the USA who is the pioneer of democracy,” said Sheikh Hasina.
“If such an incident took place in Bangladesh, the government would be blamed,” she said.
Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally on Saturday in Pennsylvania and was rushed off stage when gunshots were fired.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Deputy Leader of Parliament Matia Chowdhury, Finance Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, AL presidium members Engineer Mosharraf Hossain and Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and IT Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for Finance Waseqa Ayesha Khan and State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu and State Minister for Information Mohammad Ali Arafat, among others, were present at the dias.
PM’s Press Secretary Md Nayeemul Islam Khan conducted the conference.