Hasina sets her sights on Jubo League

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has put leaders of the Awami League and its affiliate organisations on notice and said any activity that brings the government into disrepute will not be tolerated.

The president and general secretary of the Bangladesh Chhatra League were recently stripped of their posts amid allegations of extortion levelled against them. This was followed by the arrest of a Jubo League leader in Dhaka on charges of running an illegal casino on Wednesday.

Addressing the issue, Hasina said, "After Chhatra League, I have now set my sights on Jubo League."

The Awami League president made the remarks after a delegation of BCL led by its acting president Al-Nahean Khan Joy and acting general secretary Lekhak Bhattarcharjee visited her at Ganabhaban on Thursday.

"She said, 'I'm working hard for the development of country so I will not allow any blots on it. I won't spare anyone'," said Hasan Zahid Tushar, the prime minister's deputy press secretary.

The ruling Awami League has come under fire on numerous occassions over the controversial activities of the leaders of its youth and student wings.

Hasina acted ruthlessly to remove the BCL president and general secretary after the allegation surfaced that they had demanded millions of takas as extortion from the vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University.

It came after she had expressed indignation at their activities at a meeting of the party's executive committee. The exploits of a few Jubo League leaders had also stoked her ire.

The Rapid Action Battalion launched raids on four clubs in the capital after news reports tying Jubo League leaders with illegal gambling establishments emerged.

Hasina also raised the issue of illegal casino operations with the BCL leaders.

"She said that she won't tolerate any quarrels or violence related to the casinos," said Tushar.

The government is looking into the foreign nationals who were allegedly involved in the running of the casinos to find out how they got into the country and who sponsored them, the prime minister said.

"Everyone will be caught. No-one will be spared," Hasina announced.