Find perpetrators of violence, urges PM during visit to BTV Bhaban

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday urged the citizens to cooperate with the government to make sure the perpetrators of the recent mayhem are nabbed from every nook and corner of the country to get punishment.

“I would like to call upon the people of the country that they should find out those who were involved in these destructions and cooperate for ensuring their punishment,” she said.

The premier made the call while visiting Bangladesh Television (BTV) Bhaban in Rampura area of the capital to see the extent of damage after it came under attack during the recent student violence.

She inspected different parts of the BTV Bhaban which was set on fire by a mob during the student movement for reformation of quota in public service.
Hasina said BNP and Jamaat terrorists particularly Shibir men, gathering from across the country, carried out these attacks in the capital.

“They carried out these things using the anti-quota movement,” she said.

About BTV, the prime minister said coming to power in 1996 she equipped the state-owned television with the then latest technologies including cameras. After returning to power for the second time in 2009, she modernised the television centre further, said the PM.

“But now the people of Bangla are witnessing the terrible scenes like the infernal devastations committed by Pakistani occupation forces in 1971,” she said.

She said even the Pakistani occupation forces didn’t attack the television. But the attackers torched this television and damaged it so badly that nothing was spared from destruction.

“Who are they? Are they the people of this country? Were they born in this country who carried out these attacks with an intention to destroy the country?” she said adding that they also destroyed metro-rail, which is a pride for every Bengali.

Noting that the mobs went to attack water treatment plants, sewerage treatment plants and the garbage trucks of the city corporation, she said they attacked on the installations which serve the people very much. “What mentality do they have?” she added.

Referring to the arson violence unleashed by BNP-Jamaat in 2013, 2014 and 2015, Hasina said some 3,800 transport vehicles were damaged setting fire on theses during the violence.

She said but this time the character of the arson violence is different. “This time they used gunpowder and so, these things were gutted to ashes in a while,” she said.

Citing that Bangladesh is now a role model for development in the world, Hasina said “When we’ve taken Bangladesh to a dignified position, is it (this mayhem) the reward for it (government’s success)? Didn’t they enjoy the benefits from the establishments they torched?”

About the quota system in public services, the PM said her government reduced quota much less than what they demanded. But it was noticed that their stronger resentment is against the freedom fighters and their families, she cited.

She said now apparently 98 per cent jobs will be merit-based as five percent quota for (first generation of) freedom fighters would mostly remain unused. “Even then they (the protesters) are not satisfied,” she said.

The prime minister said her remark was distorted. They came out suddenly with slogans identifying themselves as Razakars (traitors) six-seven hours after her press conference where she made the remark on July 14.

“I didn’t call them Razakars. It were they who identified themselves as Razakars by chanting slogans,” she said.

Awami League president Sheikh Hasina said her party leaders came under attacks in London. And 57 Bangladeshis were jailed in UAE and 20 Bangladeshis were arrested in Saudi Arabia for holding protest against Bangladesh government in the Middle East countries, which invited risks for other Bangladeshis who are working there.

Since they were sentenced as per the laws of the host countries, Bangladesh has nothing to do here, she said.

Considering the safe future of other 20-22 lakh Bangladeshi workers in the Middle East countries, Hasina said she sent messages to their authorities immediately, expressing sorrow over the incidents.

She said the violence and destructions caused immense sufferings to the people, affected their lives and livelihood as well as tarnished the image of the country in the world.

“So, this is why, I have given the responsibility on the people of this country for bringing the perpetrators to justice. They (protesters) should not be allowed to mislead the people by spreading confusion and propaganda,” she added.

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat and BTV senior officials including its Director General Md Jahangir Alam, briefed the prime minister about the damages of the state-owned television centre.

A video presentation was made highlighting the damages in the BTV Bhaban and BTV headquarters located in the same premises in the city’s Rampura.

On Thursday, the prime minister visited the vandalised metro rail station at Mirpur 10 in the capital.