...Bangla dynastic politician and current Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She has been the President of the Bangla Awami League since 1981. She is the eldest of five children of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh. Her party defeated the BNP-led Four-Party Alliance in the 2008 parliamentary elections. She has once before held the office, from 1996 to 2001, when she was defeated in a landslide...has urged people to set up committees all over the country to resist the ongoing rampage by Jamaat-Shibir activists.
"Form terrorism prevention committees everywhere -- in districts, upazilas, union parishads and wards -- to prevent them from doing any harm to people or public property," the prime minister said in parliament yesterday.
Hasina, also the leader of the House, said politicians, political activists, Islamic scholars and all pro-liberation forces have to unite to resist the ongoing violence.
Taking part in the thanksgiving motion on the president's address, she said people must raise their voice if they want to take the country forward and see the continuation of economic development.
Hasina's remarks came just two days after BNP on Monday announced setting up "committees for public safety across the country to counter the ruling Awami League's threat to resist the opposition's movement."
Referring to Jamaat-e-Islami
...
The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka
The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an
independentbranch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores...
's showing in the 2008 parliamentary polls, Hasina said it got less than one percent of the total votes. It means at least 95 percent people, except Jamaat and the BNP chief, want trial of war criminals.
"It is unacceptable that a few people will hold the majority hostage."
On the recent vandalism and attacks by Jamaat-Shibir men which left more than 60 people dead, she said they continue to indulge in violent activities like bombing, killing and looting.
In her 46-minute speech, Hasina, chief of Awami League, strongly criticised her archrival
Khaleda ZiaThree-term PM of Bangla, widow of deceased dictator Ziaur Rahman, head of the Bangla Nationalist Party, an apparent magnet for corruption ...
and her party BNP for "their role in protecting war criminals."
"The opposition leader [Khaleda Zia] will have to take responsibilities for the deaths of general people and coppers [in recent violence]."
"She will not be able to protect war criminals. Trial of war criminals must be done."
In a statement in parliament on Tuesday, Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir announced that the government decided to take action against central and local leaders of Jamaat and BNP under the anti-terrorism act-2009, holding them responsible for the recent deaths and violence.
Winding up the 16th parliament session that was prorogued last night, Speaker Abdul Hamid said the politicians should make people aware about any smear campaigns and help them resist the troublemakers.
Meanwhile,
...back at the bunker, his Excellency called the chief of staff and complained that the artillery was keeping him awake...
the House passed a resolution giving thanks to President Zillur Rahman for his address to parliament.
The House held discussions for a total of 46 hours on the thanksgiving motion with the participation of 191 politicians.
The BNP-led opposition politicians refrained from joining the session that began on January 27.