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PM-PRESS-GRAFT 4 LAST DHAKA
Reaction to Menon’s comments
The prime minister said Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, being a local MP, was earlier made the chief of a local sporting club in the capital where operations of casino were found.
She said although Menon hurled comments over the last general elections at a function in Barshal, the fact was that he was also elected in that polls and for which his victory could have become questioned. Sheikh Hasina said had not the people voted AL to power again, then BNP could have waged a movement. “But, they (BNP) could not do anything,” she said. She asserted that the AL assumed office time and again to run the country peacefully and properly not to realize commission through opening up ‘Hawa Bhaban’.
Nusrat Murder
The prime minister said Nusrat was a ‘very brave’ girl as she had protested and could give her testimony before her death which was considered as an important evidence for the trial of her killers.
She also praised highly the role of media as they could build a strong public consensus over giving exemplary punishment to the killers of Nusrat and thus doing justice to her family members.
Citing that the trial of Nusrat murder case is an ‘example’ before the nation, Sheikh Hasina said steps would be taken so such cases are disposed of in a speedy manner.
Onion issue Terming the persistence of onion price hike as temporary, the prime minister said there is nothing to be worried about as 50,000 metric tons of onion would arrive in the country soon of which 10,000 metric tons will arrive within a few days.
She also cautioned that those who are trying to push the government to an uncomfortable possible through hoarding onion would not gain much as onion is a perishable item and for which they would fall into trouble.
Padma Bridge issue:
Replying to a question, the prime minister said it is not possible to give a specific timeframe as to when the work of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project would be completed or it would be finished next year that coincides with the birth centenary celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
She mentioned that the work of the Padma Bridge is ‘highly technical’ and bridges on such mighty rivers having strong current are yet to be built on rivers even in Amazon.
Extradition of Bangabandhu killers:
Sheikh Hasina said efforts are underway to bring back the remaining killers of Bangabandhu saying that she had handed over a letter to US President Donald Trump about the extradition of killer Rashed Chowdhury, who is hiding in the USA, while initiatives were taken to bring back another killer Noor Chowdhury from Canada.
“But, the problem is that there is no provision of death sentence in many countries of the world and the killers are taking its advantage,” she said.
The prime minister hoped that the government would be able to bring back the rest of the killers the way it brought back killer Bazlul Huda from Thailand and killer Mohiuddin from the USA and executed them.
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