No mercy for child abusers: PM

Issuing a strong warning against child repression, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said those involved in killing and torturing children must face “toughest” punishment.

“Repression of children will not be tolerated. People involved in killing and torturing children must have to face the toughest punishment,” she said.

The prime minister said this while addressing a function marking the 56th birth anniversary of Sheikh Russel, youngest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“Sheikh Russel National Shishu-Kishore Parishad” organised the programme at Bangabandhu International Conference Center.

The premier said people have been involved in killing and torturing children since August 15, 1975 when not only the president, but also children and women were killed. But they were not given any punishment at that time.

“Instead of punishing them, a law was enacted to stop tracking the killers. They [killers] were even rewarded. They didn’t allow us to file any case in this regard,” she said.

Describing the recent killing of a child reportedly by his father as an outcome of a perverted mentality, she said, “Such a killing might not have taken place, if the trials [of killing women and children] were held at that time.”

Hasina said her government has been working to ensure a beautiful life for each child so that they do not have to face the same fate as Sheikh Russel.

Nothing that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had enacted the Children Rights Act in 1974 to protect the rights of children, she said, “We have formulated the National Children Policy in 2011 and taken measures to protect children’s rights.”

“We have also given special attention in this regard so that children can get the scopes for education, sports, physical and cultural exercises,” she added.

Founding president of the organisation Md Raqibur Rahman presided over the event while its secretary general Mahmudus Samad Chowdhury, MP; adviser Tarafder Ruhul Amin; and central organising secretary KM Shahidullah, also spoke on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the birth anniversary of Sheikh Russel was observed in a befitting manner across the country yesterday.

To mark the day, milad and doa mahfils, discussions, cultural events, processions, drawing competitions and distribution of food among the destitute were held.

In the morning, Awami League placed floral wreaths on the graves of all martyrs, including Russel, of the August 15 carnage in the capital’s Banani graveyard.

AL presidium member Matia Chowdhury; its general secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader; joint general secretaries Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif and Jahangir Kabir Nanak; Information Minister and AL publicity and publication secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud; Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim; AL organising secretary Ahmad Hossain; office secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap and central committee member SM Kamal Hossain were present on the occasion, among others.

Later, members of Dhaka city south and north units of AL, Jubo League, Awami Swechchhasebak League, Tanti League, Sramik League, Chhatra League, Mahila Awami League, Mahila Sramik League, Krishak League and different socio-cultural organisations paid tributes.

Sheikh Russel National Shishu-Kishore Parishad arranged drawing, chess and cultural competitions and prize distribution ceremony at BICC, attended by the PM as chief guest.

Sampriti Bangladesh organised a discussion at Jatiya Press Club. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan addressed the event as chief guest with Sampriti Bangladesh convener Pijush Bandyopadhyay in the chair.

Bangabandhu Diploma Engineers’ Council arranged a discussion at IDEB Bhaban in Kakrail.

Russel, the youngest brother of Sheikh Hasina, was born on October 18 in 1964 at the historic Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi.

He was brutally assassinated on August 15 in 1975 along with most of his family members, including his father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.