Mentioning that she has little interest in Khaleda Zia’s proposals for the Election Commission’s reconstitution, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the BNP chief should have apologised to the nation before going for that, report agencies. “They didn’t take part in the [last general] election…then they tried to oust the government by burning people to death in 2013, 2014 and 2015. She should’ve apologised to the nation before placing any proposal,” she told a press conference at her official residence Ganabhaban organised while briefing on recent issues and her visits to Hungary and Morocco. The prime minister came up with the remarks when her comment was sought about Khaleda Zia’s proposal over the reconstitution of the Election Commission “She (Khaleda) has made her proposal; now she can tell the President about it, and he’ll take the decision…we’ve nothing to say…,” she said adding that according to the rules the President would consider their proposal. Hasina, however, said there is nothing to be serious about the proposal of Khaleda Zia as her proposals have noting important. “I cannot find the head and toe of her proposals.” She said the election commission was constituted in 2008 by the then president in line with the BNP’s demand while the current commission was also constituted by the president by picking up its members  through a search committee. “The same procedure is being followed this time. Here the government has nothing to do in the process . . . (however) I don’t know whether her (Khaleda) proposal contains any substance at all,” the PM said.
She said Begum Zia first had taken the decision to stay away from the election, then waged a violent nationwide campaign to unseat the government and now came up with the proposals. “She didn’t participate in the election… being a party and leader of the party she refrained from the election by taking a wrong decision.”
The Prime Minister said BNP leaders also should recall their ploy to manipulate polls when they were in power.
Recalling the horrible days when BNP and its allies went for destructive politics in the name of anti-government movement and resist the election and killed hundreds of people hurling petrol bombs, Hasina said, “Let’s count carefully how many people she killed.”
Talking about the incidents after death of Khaleda Zia’s son Koko, the Prime Minister said, “I went there to console her, but I was not allowed to enter her home. Both the doors of her home were shut. What an audacity!”
Hasina said she has no interest in the proposals placed by such people.
The Prime Minister also mentioned that BNP is still in dilemma whether it will participate in the election. “Today, they’ll participate in one election and boycott another tomorrow….they have no consistency in their decisions.”
PM for identifying Oct 9 attackers
Speaking on the Rohingya issue, Sheikh Hasina said the world leaders should have been more vocal on Myanmar issue in identifying the handful of October 9 perpetrators that led to the sufferings of thousands of men, women and children along the border, report agencies.
“If we want to blame (initially), we need to think of more about those who first unleashed the situation and killed border guards police and it’s needed to identify where they’re [perpetrators] now and they should be held,” she said pointing finger at those who killed the nine border guards in Myanmar’s strife-torn Rakhine state on October 9.
The Prime Minister said thousands of men, women and children are suffering as their [perpetrators] attacks led to the current situation. “It’s very unfortunate that for handful of people many men, women and children are suffering. It’s the most worrying matter,” Hasina said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh’s intelligence has already been informed and Bangladesh will not give them shelter. “Instead, they’ll be caught, if found, and be handed over to Myanmar authorities.”
She said though it is Myanmar’s internal affairs, necessary steps have been taken from the Foreign Ministry [of Bangladesh]. “Members of Border Guard Bangladesh are on high alert…the reality is that people have no option but to look for shelter once they become helpless,” Hasina said.
Despite BGB’s sincere efforts to prevent the influx, thousands of distressed Myanmar’s citizens including women, children and elderly people continue to cross the border into Bangladesh.
Discussion ongoing about Teesta treaty
Replying to a question over her scheduled tour to India, Sheikh Hasina expressed her optimism of reaching an agreement with India over Teesta water sharing.
“I’m going to India, I’m not going with any condition… discussion is on for Teesta river water sharing and we’re hopeful,” she said.
She said that Bangladesh and India have 54 joint rivers. “There’s a joint river commission, they’re discussing the water sharing of these 54 rivers, not only that of the Teesta,” she added. Hasina mentioned that the discussion is on and it will continue.
The Prime Minister also recalled that the Ganges River water sharing treaty and termed it the most difficult one. “After coming to power in 1996, we were able to ink a long-term deal with India,” she said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the world leaders should have been more vocal on Myanmar issue in identifying the handful of October 9 perpetrators that led to the sufferings of thousands of men, women and children along the border, report agencies.
“If we want to blame (initially), we need to think of more about those who first unleashed the situation and killed border guards police and it’s needed to identify where they’re [perpetrators] now and they should be held,” she said pointing finger at those who killed the nine border guards in Myanmar’s strife-torn Rakhine state on October 9. Sheikh Hasina was addressing the press yesterday at Ganabhaban to brief on recent issues and her visits to Hungary and Morocco.
The Prime Minister said thousands of men, women and children are suffering as their [perpetrators] attacks led to the current situation. “It’s very unfortunate that for handful of people many men, women and children are suffering. It’s the most worrying matter,” Hasina said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh’s intelligence has already been informed and Bangladesh will not give them shelter. “Instead, they’ll be caught, if found, and be handed over to Myanmar authorities.”
She said though it is Myanmar’s internal affairs, necessary steps have been taken from the Foreign Ministry [of Bangladesh]. “Members of Border Guard Bangladesh are on high alert…the reality is that people have no option but to look for shelter once they become helpless,” Hasina said.
Despite BGB’s sincere efforts to prevent the influx, thousands of distressed Myanmar’s citizens including women, children and elderly people continue to cross the border into Bangladesh.
Hungary tour a success
Describing her recent Hungary tour as very fruitful and successful, the prime minister said it has opened up a new horizon of potentialities to elevate the bilateral relations to a new height.
“The bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Hungary witnessed a setback after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975…. But I think my recent visit to Hungary has infused a new dynamism into the bilateral ties and opened up a new horizon of potentialities to elevate this relations to a new height,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina paid the four-day bilateral visit to Hungary from Nov 27-30 in conjunction with Budapest Water Summit 2016 at the invitation of Hungarian President Dr Janos Ader. Earlier on November 14-16, the Bangladesh premier visited Morocco to join the High-Level Segment of the Conference of the Parties (COP22) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). The prime minister said she addressed the opening session of the Water Summit-2016 in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, where she sought comprehensive global efforts for water management, urging world leaders to prioritize the water issues in their policies and actions.
“I also placed a seven-point agenda that included formation of a global fund on water to support research, innovation, technology transfer to realize the water related goals and targets,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said she also held a meeting with the Hungarian president at Sandor Palace. “We discussed climate change related issues like negative impact due to global warming on Bangladesh and climate refugees”, she added.
Besides, she said, the issues like technological excellence and exchange of bilateral cooperation to check river pollution came up for discussion.
The prime minister said she held the bilateral official talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the historic Parliament Complex. “Earlier, we held a tete-e-tete at the same place,” she said.
The premier said they discussed issues related to water resource management, trade and business, agriculture, education as well as regional and international matters.
She said the Hungarian prime minister at the meeting announced to provide 100 scholarships to Bangladeshi students on various subjects including medical science and engineering. “We also agreed to work on new areas including water resource management and agriculture apart from expansion of trade and investment,” she said. Sheikh Hasina said the Hungarian premier accepted her invitation to visit Bangladesh, saying that the tour will take place at a convenient time.
“The two countries signed three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in the presence of me and the Hungarian premier,” she said.
Those are the MoU between the foreign ministries of Hungary and Bangladesh; MoU on cooperation in the field of water management between the two governments; and MoU on cooperation in the field of agriculture between the two countries.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that Viktor Orban called upon the Hungarian businessmen to join ongoing development activities in Bangladesh.
While talking about the High-Level Segment of the Conference of the Parties (COP22) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) in Marrakech in Morocco, Sheikh Hasina said she reiterated Bangladesh’s firm stance and determination to combat climate change.
“I also apprised the global leaders of my government’s various steps on reduction of global warming and adaptation to mitigate the losses caused due to climate change,” she said.
Help people with disabilities Addressing a function marking the 25th International and 18th National Day for the Persons with Disabilities at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital yesterday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called upon the people of all classes and professions, including the corporate sector and affluent section of society, to come forward to ensure the development of people with disabilities and their employment.
“And we’re giving the utmost importance to the development of the challenged people as they’re our kith and kin and our children,” she said. She said disability is part of human diversity and the disabled children and the people are the integral part of the family and society, and national development is not possible by excluding them. Hasina said the government for the first time introduced quota system in the government services for people with disabilities and ensured 1percent quota in BCS and 10 percent in third and fourth class jobs. The government is providing allowances Tk 600 to 7.5 lakh challenged poor during the current fiscal, she added.
The Prime Minister also distributed crests and certificates among the individuals and organisations for their outstanding contributions to the society. Later, the Prime Minister enjoyed a cultural programme participated by physically- and mentally-challenged children.
Sheikh Hasina said the Rights and Protection of Disabled People Act 2013 and The Protection of Neuron Developmental Disabled Trust Act 2013 were enacted.