Root out ‘weeds’ from AL, BCL: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called for uprooting all the “weeds” from Awami League and its affiliate student body Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) to build the organisations with Bangabandhu’s ideals.

“You need to root out the weeds…and build the organisations (AL, BCL) being the men of ideals and principle like Bangabandhu," she said.

Hasina, also the AL president, was speaking at a discussion on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Dhaka.

The prime minister said the collaborators and flatters of the defeated force are still there in the country. She mentioned that Bangabandhu, in his write-up, termed Bangladesh a very fertile land where trees and weeds grow up so easily.

"But, the weeds affect useful trees, we have to root out the weeds so that the useful trees could grow smoothly," the AL chief added.

She said two types of politics are now prevailing in the country – one is being used as a money-making tool through illegal means and the other is devoting to people’s welfare.

"We are in the second one…being a politician it is the greatest achievement for one to earn the trust, confidence and love of people," she added.

About the August-15 massacre, she said it was not just the killing of a family. "The target was to destroy the nation’s independence and victory," she said.

BCL organised the discussion with its President M Saifur Rahman Sohag in the chair. Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam spoke at the occasion.

BCL General Secretary Jakir Hossain conducted the programme.