PM surprised at Khaleda's remarks about Constitution

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she is amazed at opposition leader Khaleda Zia's 'indecent' remarks about the Constitution, reports UNB.

Khaleda Zia at the BNP-sponsored mass hunger strike Wednesday stated that the amended (15th) constitution is nothing but AL manifesto which will be thrown away, if BNP returns to power.

"How can she make such an indecent remark about the Constitution? She is the Leader of the Opposition in parliament and enjoying facilities of a full minister on the basis this Constitution," Hasina said.

The Prime Minister came up with her observations when the newly elected central working committee of Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) met her at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Thursday morning.

IDEB president AKMA Hamid and general secretary Shamsur Rahman led the delegation. State Minister for ICT Yafes Osman also spoke on the occasion.

The Prime Minister said such remark about the Constitution is only possible from the opposition leader as she and her party always think about grabbing the state power through coup, killing and conspiracy.

"Her husband Ziaur Rahman had grabbed the state power through killing and coup. So, it is not unusual that a military dictator's wife would make such remarks," Hasina observed.

She said the anti-liberation forces would not be able to protect the corrupt and the killers Ivy Rahman and other Awami League workers killed in the August 21 grenade attacks.

"The money launderers and the killers would not be spared. They must be brought to book," she said.

The Prime Minister said the military dictators and anti-liberation forces had distorted the Constitution after killing Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the fateful night of August 15, 1975.

"After returning to power through people's votes, we have been able to free the Constitution of stigma by amending the Constitution," she added.

She said the Opposition Leader and her party do not need to have any Constitution as they are accustomed to grab state power through illegal means.

Hasina also accused the opposition leader and her party of trying to save the culprits of the August 21 grenade attack, the war criminals of 1971 liberation war and her sons from serious charges of corruption and money laundering.

The war criminals would also be tried, she reiterated.

Hasina said after killing of Bangabandhu, Ziaur Rahman set free all the war criminals and rehabilitated them.

"She (Khaleda Zia) also made the killers MPs and provided them jobs in the foreign missions," the Prime Minister said.

During the August 21 grenade attacks, Hasina said law enforcing agencies charged batons on the victims instead of protecting the people and trying to arrest the attackers.

The Prime Minister reiterated that her government would never allow any terrorist activity in the country.

She told the engineers that the nation needs skill and hard labour of the engineers to drive the country to the peak of development.

Hasina said the nation does not want to remain dependent on others. "We want to establish Bangladesh as self-reliant in all sectors."

The Prime Minister said Awami League-led grand alliance government has come to power to work for economic emancipation of the people.

"To us, power is not a means of amassing wealth. We have been voted to power to change fate of the people," she said.

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