The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Sunday warned leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League that stern action would be taken if they deviated from the ideology of the organisation and indulged in crime and corruption.
She also castigated Islamist parties for enforcing hartal without reason.
'Stern action will be taken if any leaders or activists of Chharta League deviate from the ideology of the organisation and indulge in terrorism and corruption,' said Hasina, also the president of Awami League, after inaugurating the 27th council session of BCL, associate body of the party, at the Bangabandhu Conference Centre.
She asked the BCL activists to renounce terrorism and advised them to be more attentive to their studies even at the cost of organisational activities, if necessary.
Hasina said that proper education was a must for good leadership; illiterate leadership could not do the nation any good.
About the 30-hour hartal enforced by some Islamist parties, the prime minister said, 'We have retained Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim in the constitution but they [Islamist organisations] did not find Allah in it. They find Allah in hartal.'
Terming the hartal a flop, Hasina said Islamists should explain how they discovered Allah in hartal.
'If they are ashamed after the unsuccessful hartal, they will never call it again,' she said.
Accusing other political parties, including the AL's arch rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party, of taking to the country to backwards during their rule, the prime minister urged the people to be alert so that anti-liberation forces could not take over the state power again.
She said that the AL-led government was taking the country ahead upholding the spirit of the liberation war and implementing its election manifesto gradually.
The prime minister said the constitution had been amended upholding the spirit of the liberation war. 'Over some points, we considered the sentiment of the people but the rights of all religions and minority communities have been safeguarded,' she added.
Speaking on the occasion, AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam reminded the BCL activists of its glorious past and said that there were many dedicated activists in the BCL, but 'betrayers' were also hiding in the organisation.
AL presidium member Obaidul Kader also urged the leaders and activists to work for restoring the image of the BCL being imbued with a sense of patriotism.
'A few extortionists and tender manipulators should not be allowed to destroy the image of Chhatra League,' he said.
Central leaders of the BCL, including its president Mahmudul Hasan Ripon and general secretary Mahfuzul Haider Chowdhury, also addressed the opening session of the two-day council being held after about five years. Senior AL leaders, cabinet members and former BCL leaders were present among others.
Though there is a provision for holding BCL council session every two years, the last council was held on April 4, 2006.
A short-listed central committee would be elected today, the second day of the council, by the councillors and delegates.
A total of 2,500 councillors and 18,000 delegates from all over the country are attending the council session.
The age-limit of BCL members was fixed at 29 years in the last council and it will be applicable this year, BCL leaders said.
Source : New Age
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