Hasina warns BNP against anarchy during agitation

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has made it clear that her government will go tough on the BNP-led alliance if they harm the people during street agitations.

She has also ruled out chances of a dialogue with the BNP during Thursday’s media call at the Ganabhaban.

Hasina called on the people to thwart attempts to create anarchy in the guise of demonstrations.

Earlier in the day, BNP chief Khaleda Zia threatened to topple the government if it did not organise an interim election under a non-party government.

Hasina, who heads the ruling Awami League, responded: “We were in office as a transition government before the election. We couldn’t do many things then.

“[I dare] them to touch a single people of this country.”

She dubbed the BNP as “killers” and wondered why there were so many suggestions to sit for dialogue with them.

Thursday’s press conference was organised to brief the media over the prime minister’s recent Italy visit.

Hasina said she did not face any questions over the Jan 5 polls, boycotted by the BNP and its allies, at the ASEM summit in Milan.

“I met many heads of state and government there. All of them congratulated me on forming government for a second (straight) term. None questioned about the election,” she said.

The prime minister said everyone she met at the summit lauded Bangladesh’s development after the election.

Hinting at the BNP’s pre-election agitations, Hasina said the current opposition party, Jatiya Party, was helping Parliament function, unlike the BNP, by maintaining stability there.

“Everyone praised the political stability in the country,” she said.

“Representatives of many countries raised questioned after the election but heads of those countries congratulated (us) at the summit,” the prime minister said.