Resist acts of destruction

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged people to build up resistance to destructive activities of BNP, Jamaat, Shibir and other anti-liberation forces in this month of victory.
She questioned whether the opposition leader has announced demonstration programme in this month to protect the war criminals.
The premier made the remarks while inaugurating a month-long victory day programme at Suhrawardi Udyan in the capital.
Reiterating her government's firm stance on holding war crimes trial, Hasina said the trial must take place in the country as it is the demand of the nation.
Criticising Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia for announcing movements in this month of victory, the premier said the BNP chairperson declared their programme at a time when the trial of war criminals has been started.
She raised questions, "What is the movement for and against whom the movement is? Is it a movement to protect the war criminals? Was she [Khaleda] hurt with the surrender of the defeated forces in this month 41 years ago?"
"Was she giving the programmes for movement to join hands with the defeated forces? I leave it to the countrymen to judge,” Hasina told her audience.
The premier also urged people to remain united so that the activities of the anti-liberation forces could not hamper the independence of the country.
Referring to the 15th amendments to the constitution, the premier said her government amended the constitution to restore the spirit of Liberation War and safeguard democracy.
Awami League (AL) General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, its Presidium Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the programme.
The premier, most of her cabinet members, senior leaders of AL and its associated bodies, eminent cultural personalities also witnessed a cultural programme there amid tight security.
Earlier in the morning, Hasina along with her party's senior leaders paid respects to the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the capital's Dhanmondi.
Talking to reporters, Syed Ashraf, spokesperson of AL, said Jamaat-e-Islami has started to create anarchy across the country as the time for the verdict of war crimes trial was nearing.
"We hope the verdict against some identified war criminals will start coming by the end of the month. Knowing this beforehand, they [Jamaat-e-Islami] have become desperate," he said.
Ashraf urged all to put aside political differences and become united against the "war criminals" in the month of victory.
He alleged that Jamaat-Shibir activists are launching guerrilla-style attacks on police only to protect their leaders from facing the trial.
He said the police administration had failed in this case as they could not respond according to the information provided to them in advance.