Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said, ‘Sheikh Hasina’ cannot sell Bangladesh or its interest. “We always serve our country’s interest first,” she told at a press conference at her official Ganabhaban residence in capital on Wednesday. Replying to queries about the MoU on withdrawal of 1.82 cusec of water from Feni River by India for drinking water supply scheme for Sabroom town and export of LPG from Bangladesh to India, she came up with this statement at the crowded conference.
The press conference was organised to brief the media about Sheikh Hasina’s recently-concluded official visits to India and the United States. But the latest murder incident of a Buet student dominated the press conference. It may be mentioned that Abrar Fahad, 22, a second-year-student of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) department and a resident of Sher-E-Bangla hall was beaten to death allegedly by a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists on the university campus.
She added LPG is not natural gas rather it is imported liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) which will be bottled here and then sold to India. “We are importing LPG from abroad. In this regard, we have take decision to export LPG to India to further boost the existing trade relations between the two countries. And we will export LPG to India after bottling and meeting our people’s demand,” she said. Sheikh Hasina, also Awami League President termed the Abrar Fahad murder barbaric and inhuman, saying whatever may be the identity of the killers of the Buet student it did not matter to her.
“A 21-year old boy was mercilessly beaten to death. It is a barbaric and inhuman incident. It wouldn’t be tolerated. Immediately after the incident, I asked the Inspector General of Police to arrest those involved in the murder. Besides, I also asked police to collect evidence from the spot immediately,” she said.
She also said that highest punishment will be given to those involved in the brutal killing of Abrar Fahad. “Abrar is a son of a general family. We have already taken action against his killers. Highest punishment will be given to them and there’s no doubt about it.”
She said when police went to collect evidence from the spot they (cops) were confined for three hours.
“Myquestion is why the cops were confined for three hours? Weurgently need to know the cause and the motive in this regard. Later, Inspector General of Police contacted me,” she said. Prime Minster further said that immediately after the incident, she also asked the BCL to take immediate steps against those involved in such brutal killing. “And I asked BCL to expel them from the organisation,” the prime minister said.
Replying to a query about banning of student politics from the country’s educational institutions, Sheikh Hasina explained why student politics should not be banned in Bangladesh. “Student politics cannot be banned in Bangladesh because of a single incident,” she added.
However, Sheikh Hasina said:“Buet authorities can ban student politics on their campus as an autonomous institution. In that case, we will not interfere,” she said
However, she also questioned the justification of the movement by students when the government is taking action against the offenders.
“I can’t understand why the movement is going on? We must ensure the trial of the killers. We must feel the pain of a mother or a father who lost their children. I understand it as I lost my father, mother and bothers,“ the prime minister said.
Earlier, the Prime Minister paid a four-day visit to India from October 3 to 6 to attend the India Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum and held bilateral talks with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. Besides, she also paid an eight-day official visit from September 22 to 29 in New York, US to attend the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).