BNP can wage movement as AL believes in democracy: PM

Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina today said BNP can wage movements as her party believes in democracy.

"But, the BNP men who are involved in killing and terrorism, including arson attacks and militancy, would have to face the music. They will not be spared," she said in her introductory speech while presiding over the AL central executive committee meeting at her official Ganabhaban residence here.

The Prime Minister said people voted AL to power time and again as they have faith in her party and hoped that they will vote for it this time too.

"But, the people will not vote for the BNP men who are involved in terrorism, killings, arson attacks, plundering of the public wealth, bombs and grenade attacks and money laundering, " she added.

The AL chief asked her party leaders and workers to arrange the 22nd council of the party in an ordinary manner to save money due to the current global crisis. She asked to form a council preparatory committee.

The AL, however, has announced its central council on December 24, said the party's General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister in a news briefing after the meeting.

Sheikh Hasina said the BNP nowadays has been able to wage movements peacefully despite the facts that one after another bomb and grenade attacks were carried out in the meetings of the Awami League after 2001 when the BNP-Jamaat alliance government was in power.

Grenade and bomb attacks were carried out in the meeting of AL leaders Suranjit Sengupta, Kamran and Sheikh Helal, she said, adding that Helal survived the attack as one fell upon him.

Besides, the BNP Jamaat alliance government had conducted inhuman torture on thousands of AL leaders and activists and killed many of them, including Manjurul Imam and Mamtaj, she said.

"There is no single upazila and district across the country where leaders and activists of the Awami League were not killed (during the BNP-Jamaat regime). They wanted to destroy the AL after killing its men. But, the fact is that the AL is becoming stronger day by day as the party has gained people's faith and confidence," she said.

Recalling the inhuman torture on the AL leaders including AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir by the BNP, she said, "The BNP's brutal torture on the AL leaders and activists should not be forgotten rather it should be made public time and again."

Bomb attacks were carried out in 63 districts out of 64 in a synchronized way during the BNP-Jamaat regime, she said, adding that terrorists and militants had brought out processions under police escort in Bangladesh during their regime.

"Sounds of bomb explosions and bullets were heard every night at each of the public universities including Dhaka University during the BNP-Jamaat regime," she said.

BNP-Jamaat alliance and Ershad governments were engaged in the politics of torture, killings, corruption and terrorism whenever they were in power, the Premier added.