Staff Reporter :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday recalled her appeal for patience from protesting students, stating that their demands for quota reform in government jobs would be addressed by the apex court. Despite her repeated requests, the student movement has persisted, causing ongoing unrest.
The Prime Minister’s remarks were made during a visit to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), also known as Pongu Hospital, where she met with individuals injured in the protests.
“I have repeatedly requested the students to have patience, as their desire will be fulfilled by the apex court,” Hasina said. “The government is also in favor of them.”
She expressed confusion over the continued shutdown despite the Supreme Court’s status-quo order on the quota issue, which she explained means there is currently no quota in government jobs. “I don’t know why their shutdown isn’t stopped despite all of their demands being met,” she added.
The Prime Minister’s visit to NITOR was marked by her emotional remarks and direct engagement with those affected by the violence surrounding the quota reform movement.
She later toured the damaged Setu Bhaban, the Department of Disaster Management, and the toll plaza of the expressway at Mohakhali, accompanied by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
“Who will now shoulder the responsibilities of the casualties and the massive destruction?” Hasina asked, questioning the motivations behind the ongoing protests. She highlighted her continuous efforts to improve the lives of the people, lamenting, “But I seek justice from the countrymen.”
The Prime Minister suggested that the nationwide unrest was part of a larger conspiracy to cripple Bangladesh’s economy and revert the country to a state of dependency. “It might be their conspiracy to make us again a nation of beggars by crippling the country’s economy completely,” she said.
Reflecting on the violence, Hasina noted, “Everything – dozens of government establishments built to ensure comfort to the people and generate employment – had been gutted into ashes.
Today, so many people gave their lives and so many people have become crippled.” She compared the current situation to past incidents of violence orchestrated by the BNP-Jamaat alliance in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2023, which resulted in widespread casualties and destruction.
The Prime Minister condemned the targeting of police officers, stating, “Every time police personnel were their targets. This time, they hanged policemen and an Awami League activist after killing them inhumanly, taking advantage of the quota reform movement.”
She urged the public to resist those responsible for the violence, stressing that the vandalism of metro rail stations and other government establishments would result in prolonged suffering for the people, including students. “The people have to resist those who caused the sufferings,” she reiterated.
After visiting Pongu Hospital, Hasina assured that her government would provide comprehensive medical treatment for those injured during the protests. She committed to supplying artificial limbs to those who lost them, enabling their return to normal life.
“I will do my best,” she pledged. During her hospital visit, the Prime Minister consoled the relatives of the injured, offering assurances of full support for their treatment and rehabilitation. Nitor Director Prof. Dr. Kazi Shamim Uzzaman briefed Hasina on the medical care provided to the victims, while Health Minister Dr. Samanta Lal Sen, State Minister for Health Dr. Rokeya Sultana, former Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque, PM’s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah, and PM’s Press Secretary Md Nayeemul Islam Khan were also present.