Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (August 01, 2024) said the United Nations and any country can send their experts for the proper investigation of every incident of the recent violence related to the quota reform movement. “I want everything to be investigated. Because, it needs to be found out what happened behind it and how these happened. I’ve appealed to the United Nations to send their experts. If any other country wants, they can send their experts too,” she said. The premier said this while addressing a voluntary blood donation programme, discussion and doa mahfil, arranged by Bangladesh Krishak League at the auditorium of Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in the city's Farmgate, on the occasion of the National Mourning Day. She said, “I want these incidents to be investigated properly. We’ll have to take action against the culprits no matter who they are.” The Awami League President, Sheikh Hasina, said she formed a one-member judicial enquiry committee, without waiting for any demand in this regard, in a bid to investigate the killings of six people in the violence initially. Later she upgraded it to a three-member committee to expand its scope when a larger number of incidents occurred, said the PM. She said her government has brought the status of a developing country for Bangladesh. “But today the image of Bangladesh worldwide is being tarnished by carrying out false propaganda and such militant acts. I’m leaving it to the people to judge it,” she added. PM Hasina visits Kurmitola Hospital to see the injured of recent violence Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said the father of the nation is no more today but her government has built the country following his ideals. But these developments were destroyed and the lives of people were snatched. "They (the perpetrators) would be tried one day. This is why I want it to be investigated internationally and a fair trial to be held,” she said. The prime minister said not a single militant incident occurred after the Holey Artisan attack in Bangladesh due to the vigilance of the law enforcement agencies. The law enforcers sacrificed their lives but freed Bangladesh from militancy, she said. “But today they showed ugly teeths of militancy in the banner of the quota movement,” she said. PM seeks public help to resist Jamaat-Shibir as militant organisation: The premier said there should be no place for militancy and terrorism in Bangladesh and their main strength is Jamaat-e Islami and Shibir. “They (Jamaat-Shibir) will be banned under the clause 18 of Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009 so that they won’t have any social dignity,” she said. She said they would try to carry out destruction again as militants. “At that time, all will have to try to resist them as a militant organisation and save the people (from their hands). All will have to do it in unison,” she said. “There would be no room for militants in the land of Bangladesh. We all will have to stay vigilant in this regard. I seek cooperation from the people of the country to stay vigilant in this matter,” she went on. PM blasts intellectuals for supporting movement: It was like a terrorist attack to topple the govt: PM Hasina tells Indian envoy on quota violence Sheikh Hasina questioned what the rationale was for the continuation of movement when 100 percent demand was fulfilled. Noting different brutal incidents carried out in the name of movement, she also questioned what type of mayhem and movement it was. She criticised a section of intellectuals for supporting the movement. “Many of our knowleagble personalities, dignitaries and intellectuals continue giving their support to this movement. What support are they giving? The demand has already been fulfilled completely,” she said. She said conducting sabotages in this way in the name of a quota movement is nothing but acts of militancy. At the outset of the programme, one-minute silence was observed in memory of the departed souls of Father of the Nation Bangabanddhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other martyrs of the 15th August 1975 carnage. In the event, a special prayer was conducted praying for the salvation of the departed souls of the martyrs of the 15th August 1975 carnage and the people who were killed in the recent mayhem centring the movement for quota reform in the public service jobs. AL advisory council member Advocate Yousuf Hossain Humaiyun and AL agriculture and cooperatives secretary Faridun Nahar Laily MP spoke on the occasion. Bangladesh Krishak League President Samir Chanda delivered the welcome speech in the event moderated by its general secretary Umme Kulsum. Six quota protest coordinators released from DB custody

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said saving power and fuel oil does not mean that there had been looting in the sector. “Rather, BNP plundered during their regime. We after coming to power stopped that indiscriminate looting and developed the country,” she said. The prime minister said this while inaugurating a blood donation programme arranged by the Bangladesh Krishak League in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32. She joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban. Krishak League arranged the programme and discussion as part of the month-long programme of Awami League and its associate organizations to mark the National Mourning Day commemorating the martyrdom of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Hasina slammed the BNP for staging hurricane lamp protest against government's power saving measures. "Hand them hurricane lamps instead, and show them the door," she said. The PM said that all countries across the globe have been gone for austerity in power and fuel oil in the wake of worldwide crisis due to Russia-Ukraine war as the entire world including the developed countries are in hardship. Read: PM urges the youth to acquire skills to become entrepreneurs “All have to keep that in their mind. When the developed countries are facing serious troubles, we have taken pre-cautionary measurers to avoid falling in any danger in the coming days,” she said. "Keeping that in mind we are maintaining austerity," she added. She said that the present AL government upgraded the power sector with the capability of producing 24,000MW from only 3500MW. “It was not possible if there were any looting here. When there is looting in any sector, it shrinks,” she said. Hasina, also the ruling AL chief, said that those who reduced the electricity production from 4300MW to 3000MW were engaged in looting. “And those who have been able to increase the production they utilise every penny for the betterment,” she added. She said her government has taken all necessary measures keeping in mind the possible hardship due to Ukraine war so that the common people do not have to suffer. She mentioned that the BNP and its allies destroyed the spirit and ideology of the nation on what Bangladesh emerged through huge sacrifice and long struggle under the leadership of Bangabandhu. Read: PM: Useless Ukraine-Russia war benefitting only arms producers Pointing out misrules of the regimes after 1975, the prime minister said, Zia snatched the voting rights of the people forming a party by staying in the state power illegally and gave curfew democracy instead. The people had no rights during the tenure of military dictator Zia and so was during the Ershad regime, she said. The PM said BNP leaders should not talk about election as the BNP staged fake voting at Magura, Mirpur and in Dhaka-10 constituency in the past. In her speech, the Awami League President highlighted long struggles and sacrifices of the Father of the Nation since 1948 for the cause of the rights of mother tongue and establish independent Bangladesh. Talking about the August 15 massacre, Hasina, the eldest child of Bangabandhu, in an emotion-chocked voice said that her father, mother and brothers were killed by the Bangalees for whom her father sacrificed his whole life. “I never find the answer of this question, how the Bangalees could do such kind of hypocrisy and dishonesty?” she wondered. She mentioned that just before 1975 there were false propaganda against Bangabandhu and his family members, and Awami League leaders. The prime minister said that her party had been able to restore democracy in the country through long movement and struggle. “If real democracy prevails in a country then fate of the people changes totally. Today’s Bangladesh is the example of that," she said. She said the AL grew from the mass people and its leaders and activists are ready to sacrifice for the nation. So when this party comes to power and runs the government with ideology and policy then the country must develop, she added. “The present Bangladesh is the great example of that,” she said. She said that since assuming office in 2009 the government has been working tirelessly for improving the living standard of the people.   Hasina asked the Krishak League leaders and workers to continue to work following Bangabandhu’s ideology and build a hunger-and-poverty-free prosperous Bangladesh. She mentioned that Bangabandhu was killed at a time when the nation was progressing fast towards socio-economic development under his dynamic leadership after the independence. She thanked Krishak League for arranging the blood donation programme programme aimed at saving the life of the critical patients. Awami League presidium member Matia Chowdhury, Presidium member and Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque, Joint Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Agriculture Secretary Faridunnanahar Laily, Organising Secretary Advocate Afzal Hossain and Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua also spoke at the programme. Krishak League President Krishibid Samir Chanda presided over the function, while its General Secretary Umme Kulsum Smiriti, spoke, among others. A minute of silence was observed in memory of the martyrs of August 15 massacre.