No holding Bangladesh back with pro-liberation forces in power: Sajeeb Wazed Joy

Prime Minister’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy has said nobody can hold Bangladesh back as long as pro-liberation forces remain in power.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 6 May 2015, 03:54 PM
Updated : 6 May 2015, 04:47 PM

He made the comment at a seminar organised by Suchinta Foundation at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) on Wednesday.

Reflecting on the aid Bangladesh sent to Nepal after earthquakes ravaged the mountainous country last month, Joy said, “We are helping out our neighbours from Bangladesh. We now have that ability.”

The prime minister’s son said Bangladesh had its ‘head held high’ in the international arena.

“Not very long ago, there was a time when Bangladesh was such a poor country. We would have storms, floods, our people would become frustrated, would die.

“We would have our hands outstretched begging foreigners to help us out, to bring us water and rice on ships, planes.”

Joy continued, “As pro-liberation forces are in power for the last six years, with Awami League in power, you can see how fast Bangladesh has gone forward.”

Joy highlighted damages caused by three-month-long BNP-led 20-party agitation.

“I also said earlier that we would firmly handle such terrorism. We have been firm.”

He referred to the violent terrorist attacks during BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami rule including the Aug 21, 2004  grenade attack and the killing of Ahsanullah Master in Tongi.

The prime ministerial adviser went on to criticise coverage of the Apr 28 city corporation polls by a section of media.

“Some media are busy with conspiracy. Because they do not like that some political party will move forward, stay in power, and take the country forward. They have their sights set on something else.”

“They are after own power. They can never come to power with the people’s mandate, they know that. Conspiracy is their hope…”

“In 1975, we saw who came to power through conspiracy. In 2007, too, we saw who tried to come to power. They have not given up yet. Still they have hope – ‘if we can ride around in cars flying the national flag’.”

He also took a swipe at BNP saying there was little talk about nationalist values in Bangladesh. “To bring forward democracy, you have to love the country, its people. It means you have to have nationalist values.

“But what makes us sad is that those who call themselves a nationalist party, what have they done for the people? They were in power. Did they work for the country then?

“They formed coalition with anti-liberation forces, did politics forging alliances with Razakar, Al-Badr (leaders of 1971).”

“Those who can make Razakars and war criminals ministers and bring them back to the country, can that party ever be a nationalist party?”

He went on to say the Awami League was the ‘true nationalist party’ since it moved for the country’s independence, democracy, countered terrorisism  and tried war criminals.