Bangladesh now a role model in the world: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday came down heavily on the USA for its action against university students and teachers for protesting Israeli genocide in Palestine.

“The students and teachers did not have something like torches or sticks in their hands. But police’s behaviour with them raises the question how human rights are there,” she said.

Hasina, also the Awami League president, was speaking at the meeting of the party’s Central Working Committee, its highest decision-making body, at the Gono Bhaban, reports UNB.

“During demonstrations, a female professor was seriously assaulted by police. This raises the question: how much freedom of speech they enjoy [in America]. The question is, how much rights they enjoy to protest against any injustice,” the premier said.

The US prepares human rights reports on Bangladesh but they do not see their own faces in the mirror, Hasina said.

She questioned what the Americans would have done if any cop was attacked by any political party in the US like the BNP did in Bangladesh recently.

The premier denounced the recent killings of some Bangladeshis in the US, including two brutally killed a few days ago.

“I am protesting those killings. They went there to earn their livelihoods. Why those should be killed like this?” she said.

Hasina further said how will those who always talk about upholding human rights respond to these murders.

“How will they answer to this? I am demanding an answer. I am demanding answers from the human rights organisations, the justice department and those who impose sanctions on us.”

Calling upon world leaders to stop the genocide in Palestine, Hasina said, “Actually genocide is being committed in Palestine by the Israeli forces. We are protesting that continuously. Whenever I go abroad, I register my protest against the genocide by the Israeli forces and ask all world leaders to stop the war.”

Talking about the heatwave in the country, the AL chief urged all to stay safe. She said heatwaves not only swept over Bangladesh, but also over the entire South and Southeast Asia. She requested all to plant trees in the coming rainy season.

Hasina said Himalayan ice is melting due to scorching heat and that is why the flow in the Teesta river has doubled this year compared to previous years. All the rivers originating from the Himalayas are having more water this year, she continued.

“Because of the melting of ice, the rivers are swelling. That is a silver lining for us. This will ensure better irrigation for us.”

Describing the achievements made by her successive governments in different sectors, the PM said Bangladesh has become a role model for development in the world and its advancement will be continued braving all odds.

She also blasted the so-called politicians and intellectuals for spreading propaganda against the country’s progress and prosperity.

Although many expected that the ALCWC meeting would discuss the upcoming upazila polls, to be held in phases from May 8, as many close relatives of ministers and AL lawmakers are running defying the party’s directive, no discussion was held on this issues.

When a working committee member raised the issue before the meeting, the AL chief said they will discuss the issue later, said meeting sources.

Hasina asked her party leaders to get united ignoring all differences among themselves.

The meeting also decided to celebrate the diamond jubilee of the AL, and Hasina’s Homecoming Day.

AL was founded on June 23, 1949. Hasina had returned home on May 17, 1981, ending six years in exile.

Meanwhile, the prime minister will address a press conference at the Gono Bhaban at 10:00am tomorrow to inform the media about the outcome of her recent visit to Thailand.