Hasina dispels sanctions possibility

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has brushed aside any possibility of economic embargo on Bangladesh over the election with the Opposition.

Why sanctions? What has Bangladesh done? She retorted when a foreign journalist asked her whether she is concerned of any possible economic sanction by any group like the European Union after the elections in which BNP did not join.

“If they do that (impose sanction), they will encourage violence,” she said urging the international community to ask the Opposition to stop killing people.

“It is the Opposition which is committing violence, killing people,” she was quoted as saying to bdnews24.com by a foreign journalist who was present at the briefing.

Hasina briefed journalists of foreign media and news agencies at her residence Ganabhaban on Monday, a day after the much-talked about 10th parliamentary elections.

The BNP did not join the elections that resulted in more than half of the seats returning uncontested winners.

The European Union, the Commonwealth and the US did not send elections observers.

Some groups speculated that post-elections Bangladesh would face economic sanctions from the West.

Even The New York Times also spoke about sanctions before the elections in an editorial when Bangladesh witnessed a reign of terror surrounding the elections.

But Hasina apparently dispelled the sanction concerns.

She said she did not see any problem on the question of the ‘legitimacy’ of elections even after the BNP’s boycott and a low turnout.

She also dispelled any notion of imposing state of emergency to stop violence.

“Why emergency?” she again asked replying to a question. “That time has gone. People are with us,” another journalist, who was also present at the briefing, quoted Hasina as saying.

The Awami League chief said she had tried her best to bring the Opposition to the elections. She cited her offer of dialogue and even ministries to the BNP.

“They should stop violence. They should stop killing people. People are peace-loving. They want peace”.

Hasina also spoke about working closely with international communities.

Replying to a question about the “close relations” with India, she said they have “very good relationship” with India and the relationship was based on “friendship, cooperation and mutual trust”.

She said the two countries face poverty being their main problem. “We have to work together for that”.