PM pledges justice

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday at her office consoles one of the bereaved family members of an army officer killed in Pilkhana Carnage last year. Photo: PID

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the government would bring culprits to justice for killing 57 army officers and others during last year's BDR mutiny.
“I have brought the killers of my father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to justice. Insh-Allah my government will bring the culprits including those who patronised the BDR mutiny to book,” she said at a programme at International Conference Centre of the Prime Minister's Office.
The prime minister was handing over the cheque for Tk 4.80 lakh to each family of 57 army officers who were killed in the February 2009 carnage at BDR headquarters.
Earlier President of Bangladesh Association of Bankers (BAB) Nazrul Islam Majumder handed over all the cheques to the premier. BAB has contributed the money.
The association earlier decided to pay Tk 40,000 per month to each deceased family for up to 10 years for their daily expenses.
At the programme, one minute's silence was observed in remembrance of the slain army officers.
Praying for the salvation of the departed souls of the army officials and expressing deep sympathy to their family members, Sheikh Hasina urged them to let the government know if they have any need. She also assured them of more assistance from her government.
Emotional about the brutal killing of the army officers, the premier described how she lost her entire family on August 15, 1975 and suffered the loneliness, as at that time there was none to express sympathy to them.
Hasina, also the president of ruling Awami League, said when her father and other family members were killed, she and her sister could not even see the dead body of their near and dear ones.
"You [family members of the slain army officers] have lost your near and dear ones. But I am with you all the time. I'm trying to do something for you all the time," she said.
"I know how much painful losing near and dear ones is since I have lost all of my family members except one sister. I know, we won't be able to compensate for this loss but we will help you [the families] within our capacity," said the prime minister.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Prime Minister's Adviser HT Imam and Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Deputy Press Secretary Mahbubul Hoque Shakil, among others, were present.
Exim Bank, Southeast Bank, National Bank, Dutch-Bangla Bank, Islami Bank, First Security Bank, AB Bank, Eastern Bank, Uttara Bank, Jamuna Bank, Mercantile Bank, Premier Bank, Bank Asia, Mutual Trust Bank, The City Bank, United Commercial Bank, Standard Bank, NCC Bank, Shahjalal Islami Bank, Al-Arafa Islami Bank, Social Investment Bank, Dhaka Bank, Prime Bank, Trust Bank and BRAC Bank have provided the money.