PM rules out talks with opposition leader

Says next general polls to be held under EC

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . New York

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has ruled out the necessity of sitting for talks with the opposition leader about ‘different problems’ existing in the country.

Speaking at a ‘Meet the Press’ programme with journalists at Bangladesh’s Permanent Mission at the United Nations in New York on Saturday, the prime minister said the main

demands of the BNP leader were releasing her ‘corrupt sons’, stopping trial of war criminals and withdrawing the money laundering cases filed against her sons.

‘Wouldn’t the trial of war criminals be held in illegal interests of a political force? Should the corrupt be released? Wouldn’t the persons who killed people through grenade attack stand in the dock and those who embezzled orphans’ money be brought to book?,’ she posed the questions.

Hasina said the country was liberated for 40 years and the Awami League was in power for 10/11 years. ‘The development and welfare of the people were only made when the Awami League was in power, but others plundered the country’s property,’ she said.

Health minister AFM Ruhal Haque, foreign minister Dipu Moni, foreign secretary Mijarul Quayes, Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the UN  Abdul Momen, PM’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad and Bangladesh’s press minister in Washington Swapan Kumar Saha were present on the occasion.

At the outset of the programme, the prime minister highlighted various programmes of her 11-day tour of New York.

She said the US president, Barack Obama, had enquired about Bangladesh while exchanging greetings with her at the receptions hosted by the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon and US First Lady Michelle Obama. ‘The US president also expressed his interest to visit Bangladesh,’ she said.

The prime minister said her government had been making strong efforts to resume Dhaka-New York flight of Bangladesh Biman.

The prime minister said the work of the United Nations was now not only limited to establishing peace. ‘We want to see the world body more effective. We do not want to see conflicting world. . . we want to leave a peaceful environment for the new generation,’ she said.

For this, she expressed opinion, the United Nations would have to play a special role.

About the ‘peace model’ she unveiled in her address in the 66th UN General Assembly on Saturday, Hasina said peace would come in the world if the matters mentioned in the peace model were implemented.

The prime minister said her government wanted to make the people the source of all power or owners. ‘The people would decide through ballot who would govern the country and the people are the main strength of their power.

About the country’s economy, she said the purchasing capacity of the people had increased, while the poverty, the main barrier to development, was being reduced.

Stressing the need for peace and stability in the country for improving the living standards of the people, she said all had to work unitedly to eliminate poverty.

About the regional connectivity, Hasina said in the present global social and economic system no country remains isolated. ‘For this, regional connectivity is a must,’ she said, adding that her government has been working for welfare of the people by establishing friendly ties with all neighbouring countries.

The prime minister further said for establishing regional connectivity India had agreed to provide transit to Nepal and Bhutan during Manmohan Singh’s recent visit to Bangladesh.

‘The issue of cooperation about hydroelectricity in the region was also discussed during his tour,’ she said.

About Bangladesh-India relations, she said friendly ties existed between the two neighbours. ‘Discussions are underway about water sharing of the common rivers including Teesta,’ she said.

She also said discussion was going on whether an interim agreement about water sharing of Teesta could be made. ‘When we could resolve a complicated problem like water sharing of the Ganges River, we would also be able to ink a deal about water sharing of Teesta River,’ she hoped.

About Khaleda Zia’s comments that the BNP would not go to election without the caretaker government, the prime minister said election would be held when time comes and all political parties would participate in it.

Hasina said the next general elections would be held under the supervision of the Election Commission and all political parties would also participate in the polls, reports UNB.

‘The government won’t intervene in anything of the elections,’ she said.

The prime minister said her party first forged a movement for caretaker government. ‘The BNP did not want it . . . rather they said there was no neutral person in the country except mad persons and children.

Then, they were compelled to pass the caretaker government bill in parliament at midnight.’

Mentioning the peculiar experiences she gathered about the caretaker government of Justice Latifur Rahman, the prime minister said he (Latifur) dismissed 13 secretaries within half an hour of talking oath and at that time other advisers were not appointed and meeting of the cabinet was not held.

She said the BNP made president Iajuddin Ahmed as the caretaker government chief in 2007 after breaking the law framed by the party.

Mentioning that all masterminds of the previous caretaker government were created by the BNP, she said they (BNP) thought that they would be able to siphon off money abroad they plundered during their rule.

Hasina said her government did not want to cancel the caretaker government system. But, she said, the High Court pronounced verdict declaring illegal the caretaker government system.

‘How would we legalise the caretaker government system which was declared illegal by the apex court?,’ she questioned.

The prime minister said the Awami League was not allowed to come to power in 2001 as the party did not agree to sell gas abroad.

‘Sheikh Hasina does not do politics of selling the country’s interests for greed of power,’ she said.

Mentioning that BNP’s movement would never be successful, Hasina said the people of the country would not stand in favour of the corrupts. ‘They (BNP) could not hinder the development and progress of the country,’ she said, urging the BNP not to do anything that causes sufferings to the people.

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