PM asks for security review for future tours

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said Bangladesh will send its cricket team to any touring country in the future after examining and reviewing security measures there.

"In the future, whenever we send our cricket team, we'll do that after examining and reviewing the security measures there," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the four-lane second Kanchpur Bridge on the Shitalakkhya River, four-lane flyover at Bhulta and a railway overpass at Latifpur on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway through videoconferencing from her official residence Ganobhaban.

Sheikh Hasina also said Bangladesh always ensures high security whenever any team of any cricket-playing nation comes here. "We ensure their appropriate security and we'll always do that," she added.

The Prime Minister was speaking after some of the Bangladesh national cricket team players narrowly escaped terror attacks on mosques at Christchurch that left 49 dead.

"Our cricketers were supposed to go to that mosque; they went their but on their way to it, a wounded woman did not let them to enter it and this is how they escaped," she said.

Condemning the attacks in New Zealand, Hasina said there is nothing more heinous than killing people while they are performing their prayers. "I hope the world community won't only condemn this incident, but also take steps to eliminate militancy and terrorism forever."

The Prime Minister said she always believes that militants and terrorists have no religion, country or nation. "They're just terrorists, and actions have to be taken against them considering them as terrorists."

Hasina mentioned that Bangladesh, with its hectic efforts, managed to protect the country from militancy and terrorism although many people raise many questions. "Militancy and terrorism can never bring any good to anyone," she said.

Talking about religious liberty in Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said this is the right of all people as the country has properly established this religious right. "The people of all religions can perform their respective rituals here freely."

Describing New Zealand as a peaceful country, she questioned the mosque attacks there and said that these were dreadful incidents.