Govt spares none involved in crimes: PM

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DHAKA, Sept 10, 2020 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today told the parliament that her government does not spare anyone involved in crimes in a bid to stop the legacy of extra-judicial killings initiated by military dictator Ziaur Rahman and institutionalized by her wife Khaleda Zia.

“You are telling about the extra-judicial killings. But who had initiated it? It started during the tenure of Ziaur Rahman as bodies of our many leaders and activists were not found at that time. And afterwards, it (extrajudicial killing) got institutional shape (during the tenure of Khaleda Zia). We tried to stop its continuation,” she said.

The premier said her government has not been sparing anyone involved in (such) crimes, adding, “We are not sparing anyone (involved in extrajudicial killings) and we never do that.”

Sheikh Hasina, also the Leader of the House, said these in her valedictory speech in the 9th session of the eleventh Jatiya Sangsad when Deputy Leader of the Opposition GM Quader drew her attention to the issue of extrajudicial killings.

The sitting of the 9th session started this morning with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

The premier called upon all to be realistic and constructive in criticizing the law enforcers as they have been working to control drugs, terrorism and militancy by risking their lives, bearing in mind that they (law enforcers) do not lose their zeal in doing so.

“At the same time, we have to think that the law enforcement agencies have been working tirelessly to control the narcotics, terrorism and militancy by risking their lives and they have achieved huge success to this end,” she continued.

She reminded all that her government is not sparing anyone if any (unexpected) incident takes place, saying that they have been taking appropriate measures against the wrongdoers.

The premier said criticism is good but it should be kept in mind that the people who have been ensuring security and to whom people are rushing during any danger, do not lose their eagerness to this end.

It is mentionable that a Dhaka court sentenced on Wednesday three policemen to life imprisonment in a case lodged over custodial death of a youth in the capital’s Mirpur area, in 2014.

Spelling out various initiatives to check the onslaught of the COVID-19 on the overall development and the lives of people, the premier told the parliament that her government is set to use the vaccine which comes first in the world to make people cure from the coronavirus.

“Different countries across the globe have been conducting research on vaccines for COVID-19. We have heard from many countries (about their vaccine innovation). But we have approached all the countries (to avail their vaccine) and allocated money to this end. We will take the vaccine that comes first and use it to make our people cure from the coronavirus,” she added.

In reply to allegations of corruption and irregularities in health sector made by GM Quader, the premier said that the government has been taking various measures to tackle the crisis arising out of the coronavirus pandemic and keep running the wheels of economy and the development and for this reason money has been spending like water.

Noting that they did not consider how much money was spent or was there any system loss as their first priority was to save the lives of people, she said, “Protecting lives of the people matters for us instead of how much money was spent.”

She urged all to talk about corruption with having specific data referring to corruption allegation made by GM Quader on purchasing a chair or test kit for milk, the premier said that the amount of money that was mentioned was not for only purchasing a chair and a kit for testing milk rather for purchasing a unit of chairs and setting up a laboratory for testing milk.

The premier said her government has been able to bring the situation under control which many developed countries couldn’t do as they have taken all possible measures since the outbreak of COVID-19.

She said her government so far announced 21 stimulus packages of Taka 112,633 crore which is 4.03 percent of the GDP to ensure moving the wheels of the country’s economy and the people of the country wouldn’t have to suffer due to the coronavirus.

“Our duty is to work for the people’s welfare. We are doing so. It will not be wise to become frustrated once danger comes rather to take preparation to face that,” she continued.

Besides the stimulus packages, the premier said that her government has been providing financial assistance to the people of different professions such as teachers of educational institutions and imam’s of mosques, adding, “We did all the things as we are doing politics for the people.”

Due to the timely measures of the government despite everything becoming standstill due to the coronavirus , the country’s forex reserve now stands at $ 39.40 billion while the per capita income is $ 2064 and the country’s exports has been showing a rising trend alongside its import.

She said that she personally talked to heads of state of many countries to increase the country’s export, particularly of RMG.

Responding to another allegation of Quader that the government has stopped bringing bodies of expatriate workers at its cost, the premier said that they are still continuing to bring the bodies of expatriate workers by special planes.

But she said the plane operation has been halted across the globe till now due to the coronavirus outbreak. In reply to another question on decreasing the price of WASA water, she requested all to show austerity in using water instead of wholesale use of it to lower the water bill.

Referring to an explosion in a mosque in Narayanganj, the premier said that it is a matter of sorrow that multiple people died in the explosion while offering prayers.

The mosque was built on a gas pipe without taking approval from the authorities concerned, she said, asking all not to build any establishment without taking prior permission and having no proper design.