PM Calls Upon BNP to Return to Democratic Process

She said BNP was in power and they have dream to go to power again. But they cannot go to power over the burned bodied of bus and truck drivers, children and innocent people. They must go under a democratic process.

The Prime Minister was addressing the officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs during her visit to the ministry at Bangladesh Secretariat here today.

She came to the ministry as part of her plan to visit every ministry to exchange views with the senior officials and give directives to them to bring dynamism in the activities of the ministry.

Sheikh Hasina reiterated that Khaleda Zia made political mistake by taking decision to boycott the January 5, 2014 general election. "Why the countrymen will pay for her wrong decision," she asked hoping that the Almighty would help Khaleda Zia to unfold her good sense to refrain her from destructive policy.

Minister for Religious Affairs M Motiur Rahman and secretary of the ministry Dr Chowdhury Md. Babul Hassan also spoke on the occasion while senior officials of the ministry and Prime Minister Office were present.

The Prime Minister said everything was going on under a systematic order. But Begum Zia along with Jamaat is enforcing siege and blockade programmes at the same time out of their intention to multiply the public sufferings.

She observed that BNP leader might become insane, otherwise why she would stay in the office leaving her home day after day. "It's not clear what kind of revolution she wants to occur. But it's true that she is committing homicide and even burning children alive," the PM said.

"What is the achievement of BNP from this type of movement except killing some people, crippling many others, burn transports and destroying public and private properties," she said adding "if BNP thinks this destruction as their achievement, it's very unfortunate for the nation."

The Prime Minister said the government has decided to hold the SSC exams only on Friday and Saturday as children cannot go to exam hall at risk. "So a new routine has been prepared," she said apprehending that BNP-Jamaat might call hartal even in the weekends.

"BNP and Jamaat trade on religions, so they cannot be trusted," she said adding that BNP-Jamaat doesn't want to make the people educated as if people are educated they would not be able to misguide them.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is a secular country. Secularism is not atheism. It's the state policy to ensure religious, political and social rights of the people of every religion. Being guided with this spirit, she said, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman outlined the secularism as one of the county's fundamental constitutional principles after independence.

"The main theme of Islam is co-existence and harmony among all religions. It's the teaching of the Prophet (SM). The Awami League always upheld the principles so that each and every people can enjoy their religious rights," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said every political party except Awami League used Islam to gain their political purposes. "Only Bangabandhu had taken initiatives for promotion of Islam after independence," she said adding, "after killing of Bangabandhu the military rulers did nothing for Islam."

In this regard, Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu established Islamic Foundation in 1975. Bangabandhu had taken projects for development, expansion, beautification of the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque.

"Awami League government after taking office in 1996 also had taken a project with the financial support of Saudi Arabia for construction of two minars of the national mosque and its further expansion. But BNP-Jammat, who claim themselves as Islamists, put the project on shelve for whole of their five year regime from 2001," she said.

The Prime Minister said Bangabandhu arranged Biswa Ijtema in Bangladesh competing with many intending Muslim country and allocated land on the bank of the Turag River for holding the second largest religious congregation of the Muslim Ummah.

"Now BNP-Jamaat prevents the Muslims from attending the Ijtema prayers. They are using the mosques as their offices, burning copies of the holy Quran," she said adding, "It's doubtful whether BNP-Jamaat cohorts have any faith in religion at all."

Highlighting the steps taken by her government for promotion of Islam and publicity of Islamic thoughts and values, the Prime Minister said religious education has been made compulsory at primary level so that children can grow up with religious belief and morality from their tender age.

She said the Awami League government during its 1996-2001 tenure brought the services of the officials and employees of the Islamic Foundation under revenue budget apart from establishing office in every district.

"The government constituted welfare trust for Imams and Muazzins and made digital version of the holy Quran. Saudi government and Muslim community acclaimed the success of Bangladesh in hajj management," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said illegal governments after 1975 used the Islam in their political purposes and going beyond the teachings of Islam they intimidated the members of other religious community. They were involved in anti-Islamic activities during the time of war of liberation and now they are killing people in the name of religion.

The Prime Minister said her government is striving to create an atmosphere where people of all religions would be able to observe their religious and national events with festivity. The government is trying to establish a motto- "Religion is affairs of an individual but Festivity is for all."

Sheikh Hasina said her government has given similar attention to the welfare of the people of other religions and development projects were taken for infrastructure development of the places of worships of other religions.

The Prime Minister said the government has allocated over Taka 1,500 crore for mosque based children and mass education. "The allocation is being increased every year after the Awami League government comes to office in 2009," she said.

Photo: Saiful Islam Kallol