Hasina in pledge to protect democracy

Renewing her commitment to democracy in Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said that no one would be allowed to play with the future of the people of Bangladesh. “We’ve strengthened democracy through the 15th amendment of the constitution… now the people of Bangladesh will live with their heads high,” she said while addressing a public rally in Lalmonirhat district town in the afternoon. Hasina also said that the right to vote and also the constitutional rights of the country’s people will remain intact. State Minister for Primary and Mass Education M Motahar Hossain presided over the meeting, organised by the district unit of ruling Awami League. Jatiya Party chairman and former Bangladesh President Hussain Mohammad Ershad, Commerce Minister GM Quader and Awami League joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif addressed the meeting. The PM said democracy will continue in Bangladesh. “Development comes through democracy. If there is no democracy, there won’t be any development.” Referring to the trial of the war criminals and crimes against humanity, she said: “We’ve initiated trials against war criminals and god willing the trial will be completed soon.” Hasina said father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman began the trial of the war criminals, but “those who captured power after 1975 through the assassination of Bangabandhu had stopped the trial proceedings”. She expressed her strong resolve to build a happy, prosperous and peaceful Bangladesh as well as to turn it into a middle income country by 2021. Mentioning that the soil of the country is fertile, she said: “We’ll stand on our own feet not relying on others… Bangladesh will stay as an independent and sovereign state.” She said that whenever Awami League comes to power it works for the welfare of the people. The present government, she added, has curbed militancy and terrorism in Bangladesh with iron hand although there were “numerous militant and terrorist groups active in the country during the rule of BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance”. Listing various development activities by the present government, Hasina said these included providing various allowances under different social safety net programmes, innovation of flood and saline tolerant paddy, distribution of free textbooks up to secondary level, ensuring food security, establishment of Union Information and Service Centres, and reducing maternal and child mortality rates. Communications Minister Obaidul Quader, Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Tipu Munshi, MP, and eminent lawyer Barrister Rafiq-ul-Haque were present on the occasion. The PM’s adviser Dr Syed Modasser Ali has been quizzed by an investigation team of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for his alleged involvement in the Sonali Bank scam, said its Chairman Ghulam Rahman. “I think Modasser Ali has already been quizzed,” he told reporters at the ACC headquarters in Dhaka yesterday afternoon without elaborating. Ghulam Rahman said the ACC quizzes top officials of the government under special arrangements so that they feel comfortable during the questioning. He said the ACC does not give any special facility to anyone while facing interrogation. “Our aim is to extract the truth. So, the Commission quizzes people where the ACC deems it necessary.” The ACC chairman said the graft watchdog has almost completed the inquiry into the Sonali Bank scam and its investigation team will submit its report as soon as possible. Earlier, during the ACC grilling, the Sonali Bank officials said they had seen Mudasser Ali frequently visiting the Ruposhi Bangla branch of Sonali Bank. So, he might have influenced the bank authorities to grand a loan over 260bn taka to Hall-Mark. Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday started quizzing six officials of the Sonali Bank in connection with the Hall-Mark loan scam The officials are deputy general manager AHM Abu Jafar, assistant general manager Kamrul Hossain Khan, senior executive officer Shahida Khanam, and executive officers Ekramul Haque Mondol, ASM Abdul Latif and Mohammad Anisuzzaman. A six-member team of the anti-graft body began the interrogation at its Segunbagicha Office in the city from 10am, ACC sources said. On Wednesday, the ACC interrogated five officials of the bank over allegations of illegally disbursing loans worth 35bn taka from the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel branch of the state-run bank. The ACC has so far grilled 45 bank officials and 10 officials of Hall-Mark and DN Sports in connection with the scam. From GT