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PM Sheikh Hasina Cautions Against Anti-Liberation Threats in Germany Address
In a firm address to the Bangladeshi diaspora in Germany, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina emphasized the need to remain vigilant against anti-liberation forces that could threaten Bangladesh’s progress. Speaking at a reception in Munich on Friday, she warned against allowing these forces to hinder the nation’s journey towards prosperity and urged the people to guard against any conspiracy detrimental to Bangladesh’s fate.
Prime Minister Hasina reiterated her commitment to building Bangladesh as a secular state, ensuring equal rights for people of all faiths. She expressed her determination to fulfill the dream of the country’s founding father, transforming Bangladesh into a prosperous, developed, and secular state in the spirit of the Liberation War.
Addressing the attendees, she emphasized her dedication to bringing the fruits of the Liberation War to every doorstep. Prime Minister Hasina credited the Awami League as the pro-people party, asserting that their strength and ability to tackle challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic stem from the party’s support.
She criticized the opposition, specifically the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), labeling them as a party of looters. Accusing the BNP of avoiding elections and resorting to violence, she asserted that the Awami League, through struggle, has restored voting power to the people. Sheikh Hasina highlighted the significance of the 12th parliamentary election held on January 7, considering it the most free, fair, and credible election since 1975.
During her address, Prime Minister Hasina urged expatriate Bangladeshis to send remittances through proper banking channels and encouraged investments in the economic zones being established across the country. Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and local mayor of Munich also spoke at the event, moderated by Bangladesh Ambassador to Germany, Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate rain showers across the country within the next 24 hours, starting from 9 AM on Saturday.
According to a bulletin issued by the Met office, “Light to moderate rain or thunder showers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, are expected in many areas of the Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. A few places in the Rangpur and Mymensingh divisions, as well as one or two spots in the Rajshahi and Dhaka divisions, may also experience similar weather. Additionally, moderately heavy to heavy rainfall is anticipated in parts of the Khulna, Barishal, and Chattogram divisions.”
Meanwhile, a mild heat wave is sweeping through the Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, along with Tangail, Sylhet, and Chuadanga districts. This heat wave may subside in some regions.
Temperatures across the country are expected to remain nearly unchanged, both during the day and at night.
The bulletin further explained that the low-pressure area over the North Bay and its adjoining regions has intensified into a well-marked low, now positioned over Gangetic West Bengal and the northwest Bay. The axis of the monsoon trough extends from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and the center of the well-marked low to Assam, passing through the southern part of Bangladesh.
Overall, the monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and exhibits moderate to strong activity over the North Bay.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today visited the massively damaged Setu Bhaban and Department of Disaster Management at Mohakhali here by the BNP-Jamaat-Shibir men during the nationwide mayhem centering the quota reform movement.
After entering the Setu Bhaban, she looked appalled seeing its different damaged sections as she had teary-eyed.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, among others, were present.
Several hundred of miscreants stormed into the Setu Bhaban on July 18 last and vandalized it badly, set it on fire, and looted government property from the bhaban.
They also vandalized many vehicles, motorbikes, ransacked different sheds and rooms and later set those on fire and beat many employees of the Setu Bhaban black and blue.
The prime minister later inspected the Department of Disaster Management at Mohakhali and saw different sections of the damaged establishment which was also came under terror attack on July 18.
High officials of the Setu Bhaban and Department of Disaster Management gave a brief description of the devastation of the two buildings.
The terror attacks on the government establishments was carried out across the country by the BNP-Jamaat clique cashing in on the quota reform movement.
Leaders of the quota reform movement have resolutely refused to negotiate with the government, insisting that their movement will persist until their demands are met.
In a Facebook post, Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the movement, declared, “No discussion through stepping onto blood.”
Asif Mahmud, another prominent leader, echoed this sentiment, stating, “There can be no dialogue with bullets. I would prefer death over this betrayal.”
He further elaborated, “On one side, there are bullets. On the other, there is a call for dialogue. We can’t sit for dialogue while stepping onto the blood of our brothers.”
Earlier, leaders of the quota reform movement accused the government of escalating the law and order situation towards violence, asserting that their movement was peaceful until the government’s intervention.
Vowing to continue their struggle, Asif Mahmud stated, “We will continue our protests till we achieve our demands for reformation of the quota system, reopening of the halls and campuses, making university campuses terror-free, withdrawing political forces from the campuses, and punishing the killers and attackers.”
He added, “The people of the country have encircled those who tried to corner us. No conspiracy will be able to derail our movement.”
