Staff Reporter :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused BNP-Jamaat activists of orchestrating widespread chaos to undermine the country’s progress and tarnish its international reputation. She called on citizens to help identify and bring the culprits to justice.
“They, who are involved in such incidents, must be identified by searching every nook and cranny of the country,” she said after inspecting the damage at BTV Bhaban in Rampura, Dhaka, where a violent rampage occurred on Thursday.
The Prime Minister recounted the extensive damage and violence attributed to the BNP-Jamaat coalition.
“In 2013, they engaged in nationwide arson terrorism, setting fire to 3,800 vehicles, 29 trains, and eight launches.
This time, they launched a massive wave of destruction from the morning of July 17, 2024, leveraging the quota reform movement.”
Sheikh Hasina noted the use of gunpowder in the recent attacks, leading to rapid and extensive damage. “Everything was gutted to ashes in no time,” she stated.
The Prime Minister detailed the severity of the attacks, highlighting assaults on government establishments, police personnel, journalists, civilians, and members of the ruling Awami League (AL).
“The anarchists killed seven activists of Chhatra League, the student wing of the AL, in Chattogram. They hanged policemen and an AL activist after killing them, threw several Chhatra League men from a six-story building, and mutilated others.”
She also reported that the perpetrators searched homes in Dhaka’s Jatrabari area to find police personnel and AL leaders and activists.
Reflecting on the destruction of government establishments built for the people’s welfare, Sheikh Hasina said, “I have built every organization through day-night hard work.
For whom? For the people of the country. These are working for the betterment of the people and their livelihoods.”
The Prime Minister lamented the impact on Bangladesh’s development and international image, stating, “Today, Bangladesh goes one step ahead towards prosperity and achieved the status of a developing country.
The rampage was carried out to undermine the achievement. They want to ruin everything.”
Sheikh Hasina accused Tarique Zia, from London, of instigating protests to harm Bangladesh’s image and jeopardize overseas employment for Bangladeshis.
“Three BNP leaders were arrested in London, while 57 Bangladeshis were detained in the UAE, with three receiving life sentences and 20 arrested in Saudi Arabia for staging processions.”
Addressing distorted remarks attributed to her, Sheikh Hasina clarified, “I didn’t call the students Razakar. My comment was distorted. The students themselves called them Razakar through chanting slogans.”
The Prime Minister recalled her efforts to modernize state-owned television since coming to power in 1996 and again in 2009.
“But now, the people of Bangladesh are witnessing scenes reminiscent of the devastations committed by Pakistani occupation forces in 1971,” she said. “Even the Pakistani forces didn’t attack the television.
But today, they torched this television and damaged it so badly that nothing was spared from destruction.”
She concluded by condemning the destruction of the metro-rail, a symbol of national pride. “They also destroyed the metro-rail, which is a pride for every Bangladeshi.”