PM seeks help from businessmen to stop BNP-JAMAAT violence

"You cannot remain silent. You will have to be vocal and play a role against such destructive acts of Jamaat-Shibir nexus. Because such destructive acts would not bring any welfare for the people and the country," she said.

The Prime Minister also sought cooperation of the businesspeople to complete the ongoing development projects speedily. "We hope we could complete our unfinished tasks through the support of all," she said.

She said this while addressing the inaugural function of the 19th Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre here this morning.

Sheikh Hasina said the BNP leader could not forget the debacle in the 2008 national elections. "So Begum Zia has declared a war against the people to take the revenge of that defeat by taking a side with the anti-liberation forces, "she said.

Except during the War of Liberation, she said, the people of the country never witnessed such incidents that are taking place in Bangladesh in the last few months.

The Prime Minister said Begum Zia wanted dead bodies as she had announced that some people would die in the movement and the countrymen will have to accept this.

She said the countrymen have witnessed what successes BNP- Jamaat gained through their movement. "They tried to resist January 5 polls, but they failed to do so. They only caused damage to the socioeconomic uplift of the people," she said.

For this, Sheikh Hasina said, the BNP leader will have to be accountable to the countrymen one day.

The Prime Minister said they are killing people by hurling petrol bombs at bus, truck, car and auto-rickshaw.

She said the BNP-Jamaat terrorists torched and vandalized thousands of vehicles, fell thousands of trees and removed fishplates of railway lines and uprooted rail tracks.

"Government offices, power plants, business establishments, footpath shops and even innocent animals could not escape from their revenge," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said after the January 5 polls, the BNP-Jamaat hoodlums attacked minority people and supporters of Awami League in different parts of the country. More than one dozen of AL leaders and workers were killed only in Satkhira, she mentioned.

Sheikh Hasina called upon the business people and entrepreneurs to give focus on improvement of quality and branding of products and make those attractive side by side with boosting productivity.

She said her government has been able to maintain over six percent GDP growth in the last five years. "The export income in 2012-2013 fiscal year stood at 27.03 billion dollars, and the export has been boosted by 16.56 percent in the last six months despite nonstop hartal and blockade of the opposition," she said.

Wishing success of the 19th DITF, Sheikh Hasina hoped that this show would play an effective role in the country's economic uplift side by side with strengthening, friendship, harmony and commercial relations between the participating countries.

Later, the Prime Minister inaugurated the fair by cutting a ribbon and releasing balloons. She also visited some pavilions and stalls of the show.

Apart from host Bangladesh, 27 organisations from 12 countries including India, Pakistan, China, Malaysia, Iran, South Korea, Thailand, US, UK, Turkey and Singapore are taking part in the show.

There will be 96 pavilions, 49 mini pavilions and 316 stalls in the event. Entry fee has been fixed at Taka 30 for adult and Taka 20 for a child. The fair would remain open for the visitors from 10 am to 10 pm every day.

The salient features of this year's trade show include setting up of Sundarbans eco-park, e-shop, medical and blood donation centre, performance of local folk songs and countdown clock.

'Bangabandhu Memorial Pavilion' has been erected in the DITF like the past years to project the history of the Liberation War before the young generation.

A separate booth of the National Consumers Rights Protection Directorate (NCRPD) has also been set up to ensure quality of foods and goods.