Plotters must be tried

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said whoever found involved in the BDR carnage at Pilkhana must be tried and provocateurs will not be spared.
“We will track down the provocateurs and they, too, will not be spared,” she said while addressing a rally at Nawjor here marking the inauguration of Dhaka Bypass Road.
Hasina's remarks came a day before the first anniversary of the BDR mutiny.
On February 25-26 last year, a group of disgruntled BDR personnel staged the mutiny at the Pilkhana headquarters against their commanding officers, leaving at least 73 people dead, including 57 army officers.
The PM said when the BDR rebellion was on steam, leaders of all the political parties in the ruling grand alliance rushed to the area to cool down the situation.
“But no one from the BNP-led four-party alliance did go there,” she said.
She again alleged that during the BDR mutiny, the leader of the opposition was hiding.
“She was not found during those three days. She had not stayed at her cantonment house for the subsequent one and a half months,” Hasina told her audience.
Indicating the opposition, the PM asked them to give up “variegated games they are playing” and speak whatever they want in parliament. She accused them of creating militancy in the country.
Hasina observed that all would get opportunities if democracy exists in the country and reminded the opposition of the plight of the past. “You know better about the consequences of the absence of democracy.”
She deplored that it is the nature of the BNP to play with the blood of the people when they are rejected by the people in elections. “Ziaur Rahman did the same” when he was in power, she said.
“In the last election they could not rig the vote, and that's why they are angry with the people of the country,” Hasina said.
In this connection, she thanked the army for their hard work to prepare a photo voter list deducting 1.23 crore fake voters.
“Later, the people of the country voted Awami League to power to restrain the BNP-led alliance government from looting,” she told the gathering.
The PM again firmly warned the government officials not to indulge in any sort of corruption.
“Don't try to commit any sort of corruption. There will be no place for the corrupt and looters in the land of Bangladesh,” she said.
She said that the main aim of her government is to advance the country. “We will ensure that no person of this country suffers for lack of food, and development of the people of this country is the responsibility of my government.”
Addressing the rally, Hasina also directed all concerned to maintain high standards of works and prevent misuse of money while implementing development projects.
She noted that corruption is a major impediment in development process and her transparent government would do whatever necessary to uproot the menace.
Hasina said there is no alternative to improving communications network for attaining desired development of the country.
She listed a number of massive communications projects undertaken by the present government, including Padma Bridge, Teesta Bridge, second Shitalakkhya Bridge as well as upgrading the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway to four lanes.
Hasina said her government has been implementing all of its pledges given in the election manifesto. Prices of essentials have been slashed while subsidies are being given to the farmers.
Besides, emphasis is being given on making the country self-sufficient in food, strengthening industrial base and income generation for the people, the PM said.
Hasina announced that her government would upgrade Gazipur from second-grade district to a special-grade one. There will be a digital university and high-tech park here.
The PM inaugurated the 48-kilometer-long bypass road by unveiling a plaque at Nawjor.
The Dhaka bypass between Nawjor in Gazipur and Madanpur in Narayanganj district has been formally opened to traffic connecting the country's north and eastern regions bypassing the capital city.
About the bypass road, Hasina said that in the future it would be expanded to four-lane and thereafter to eight-lane road, if necessary.
The PM observed that for having safe road communications her government is going to set up a training centre at BUET for the drivers where around 1,000 drivers would be trained up.
The rally was also addressed by Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain, lawmakers Advocate Rahmat Ali, AKM Mozammel Huq, Zahid Ahsan Russel and Meher Afroze Chumki.
Earlier, the PM laid the foundation of the BAIRA Technical and Vocational Training Institute at Nawjor.