Who gave the order to kill people, asked the Prime Minister

  • News Desk, Barta24.com
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Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

Pointing out that there was a big conspiracy behind the violent situation surrounding the quota reform movement, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, 'It was a big conspiracy. But we have already received information that people will enter. All the hotels, where they might be staying, have been brought under surveillance by detectives. They were not there, they have moved to the periphery just outside of Dhaka (areas close to Dhaka).'

বিজ্ঞাপন

Questioning who gave the instructions to kill people in the movement, the Prime Minister said, 'One more thing to notice, none was killed yet but the statement of the State Department (of the United States) came that few men were killed. Who gave them news of the killing? So who gave the order to kill? It also needs to be reported. And then the killing had started.'

She said these things during an exchange of views with editors and heads of news and senior journalists of various media outlets at the Prime Minister's office on Wednesday (July 24) afternoon.

বিজ্ঞাপন

The head of government said, 'I knew that the election would not be allowed. I still chose. It will not be acceptable after the election, we have been able to do that, we have been able to form the government. I had a feeling this kind of hit would come again.'

Sheikh Hasina said, "They (anti-discrimination student movement) must give an answer to the nation as to why they created this opportunity." We sat with them again and again. Notification was also made. I have not left any of their demands unfulfilled.

The Prime Minister said, "The quota reform they demanded, we have given much more than what they asked for." When their demands were accepted, why did they give these militants an opportunity? Quota activists will have to give this answer to the nation one day. Why did people make such a great opportunity to destroy? We have always sympathized with them. We tried to keep them safe all the time. But what happened can never be forgiven.

The Prime Minister said, "They have come from Shibir-Jamaat from all over the country. Chhatra Dal cadres were also with them. They (BNP) were also active in all the incidents that happened.

Urging the countrymen to raise their voice against all forms of terrorism, militancy and violence, the Prime Minister said, 'The way the devastation, black pant-white shirt clothes, fake ID cards, what was in their back packs? Stones and weapons are sharp. Forcing the Imam to mike with weapons in the mosque, this is a terrible face of militancy that came before everyone today, the nation, everyone should stand against it.

In the recent violence, the Prime Minister referred to the destructive activities by attacking and setting fire to Metrorail, Elevated Expressway, Bangladesh Television, Disaster Management Bhawan, Setu Bhawan, BRTA Office, Data Center.

She said, "Those who have destroyed the country, those who today have damaged and destroyed all the structures we have built for the socio-economic development of the people, increase their income, facilitate their movement, and improve their quality of life. Who is the loser? Surely the people. Here, the people have to stand up, against this terrorism, against militancy, the people have to be vocal because they have never been able to do anything good in any country.

Stating that there was no other option but to impose curfew in the recent situation, the head of government said, "I did not want any such incident to happen in our democratic system, curfew should be imposed." We did not want this to happen in a democratic environment. But there was no way out. There is no count of how many more bodies would have fallen if not given.

Sheikh Hasina called on the media to present correct news and said, 'It is true that many people listen to rumors. The ear is taken by kite, the child behind it, does not put his hand in the ear to see if there is an ear. Protect people from lies; serve the news in such a way that people can know the correct information.

The press secretary of the Prime Minister Naimul Islam Khan moderated the meeting.  Mozammel Haque Babu, President of Editors Guilds, gave the welcome address. After that, media editors and journalist leaders spoke.