PM vows to bring back fugitives

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the six fugitive killers of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will be brought back home and executed.
"Wherever the killers are, they will be brought back and executed. The world is small, where will they escape to?" said the premier at Gano Bhaban where the ruling Awami League's extended meeting was held after 20 months.
Hasina, also the AL president, directed her party's grassroots leaders to pay sincere attention to protect the country's environment, plant trees and stop cutting trees from the green places. She warned that no deviation would be tolerated in this regard.
This was the first directive of the premier regarding environment protection at any party level meeting. Around 10,000 grassroots leaders of the AL from across the country took part in the meeting.
She also directed them to remain cautious against the "propaganda" and "falsehood" by the opposition, make people aware of it and let them know the right information. Besides, she asked them to strengthen the party at all levels, recruit new party members examining their ideologies and beliefs, and watch out for the opportunists.
"I need the party to fulfil our electoral pledges. Only the organisation can keep holding the people's confidence in the government.
So you must work for strengthening the party at all levels," she observed.
Hasina, one of the two surviving daughters of Bangabandhu, expressed satisfaction at the execution of the detained killers of Bangabandhu. She observed that the country got rid of the curse for the assassination of its founding father with the execution and sought blessings from all so that her government could make poor people happy and build a golden Bangladesh as dreamt by Bangabandhu.
Special prayers were offered at the meeting expressing gratitude to the almighty Allah following the execution of the five killers four days ago.
In her one-hour speech, the AL chief highly praised the grassroots leaders for their contribution to keeping the party united at all moments of crisis including the emergency rules during the last caretaker rule. She added it is due to them that her government has been able to hold the trial of Bangabandhu's killers.
She said conspirators wanted to topple the elected government by killing 57 innocent army officials during the BDR mutiny in February last year. She posed a question as to why the leader of the opposition didn't stay at her cantonment residence for three days during the mutiny.
"The elder son of the opposition leader, I don't want to mention his name, phoned three times early morning that day and asked his mother to leave the cantonment residence immediately. How did they know that there would be killings in the BDR? We will have to find out these answers," said Hasina.
She added the killers killed those brilliant army officers who were much active against militancy and were supposed to work with Special Security Force for the protection of the prime minister.
She suspects they [BNP] wanted to take revenge on the BDR, as its personnel did not "shoot at the procession of the then opposition AL when it was staging movements for a free and fair election during 2005-06.
Conspiracies to destroy democracy are still going on and will continue, she said, directing her party to stay alert. She urged all to work for strengthening democracy in the country by foiling every conspiracy.
Hasina pledged to hold trial of the killers of the army officials, war criminals, killers of four national leaders, perpetrators of the August 21, 2004 grenade attack, among others. She firmly said her government would not allow any crime and unlawful acts in Bangladesh.
"Tough action will be taken against the lawbreakers whoever they are," said Hasina, adding, they would leave no room for militants and criminals on the soil of the country and make Bangladesh the most peaceful country in the world.
She added her government is working hard to ensure justice for all sections of people.
She sought blessings from all to perform properly the responsibilities bestowed upon her and directed her party's grassroots leaders to work for the welfare of the people who voted the AL to power.