From Muhammad Syfullah, UNB Staff Writer

Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Oct 19 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left here for home on Friday wrapping up her four-day visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage departed from King Abdulaziz International Airport at 4:15pm (local time).

The flight is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 1:15am on Saturday.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister arrived in Saudi Arabia on the four-day bilateral visit at the invitation of Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, also the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

During her stay in Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Hasina had separate meetings with the Saudi King, and Saudi Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz in Riyadh on Wednesday.

She performed holy ‘Umrah’ in Makkah on Thursday and offered ziarat at the Rawza Mubarak of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) at Masjid Al-Nabawi in Madinah on Wednesday night.

Besides, the Prime Minister had a meeting with the Saudi business community, including leaders of the Council of Saudi Chamber (CSC) and Riyadh Chamber of Commerce, at Riyadh on Wednesday when five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed between the two countries.

Sheikh Hasina also opened the Chancery Complex of Bangladesh Embassy constructed on its own land at the Diplomatic Quarters in Riyadh on Wednesday and laid the foundation stone of the Chancery Building of Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah on Thursday.

Madaripur, Oct 14 (UNB) – Taking a swipe at Dr Kamal Hossain, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said the Gono Forum chief has joined hands with killers.

"He (Dr Kamal) has joined hands with them (killers), why not! Dr Kamal, Khaleda Zia and Tarique Zia had whitened black money," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing a public rally organised by local Awami League at Shibchar.

Talking about the recently launched unity of BNP, Dr Kamal Hossain, ASM Rob and Mahmudur Rahman Manna, she questioned, “What they can do and what they want to do!”

Sheikh Hasina, also the ruling Awami League chief, Dr Kamal Hossain forged the unity with those who are killers, corrupt, plunderers of orphans’ money. "With him some other small fry have gathered there—they all formed the unity." 

She said Dr Kamal always talks about principles and dignity, and is always vocal against corruption, terrorism and militancy. "But, BNP and Jamaat are involved in terrorism… now he has forged a unity with them." 

Questioning the leadership of the newly formed unity, Hasina said BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman is a convicted criminal living abroad as he is convicted in money laundering, 10-truck arms smuggling and August-21 grenade attack cases.

"Dr Kamal Hossain and his gang have forged the unity under that chairperson." 

She said the people of the country do not want the killers and they demonstrated this desire in the 2008 and 2014 elections, voting Awami League to power.

The AL chief said the development of Bangladesh is never visible to Dr Kamal Hossain and his gang but the world acclaimed Bangladesh as a role model of development. "To them, development means corruption, terrorism and money laundering." 

The Prime Minister said Khaleda and Tarique were involved in the August-21 grenade attack. "They tried to kill me through the grenade attack to make Awami League leaderless."

Hasina mentioned that they destroyed the all clues and evidence of the gruesome attack and staged the ‘Goj Mia drama’. "This [Zia] family is a killer family. Zia was also involved in the August 15, 1975 carnage with Moshtaque Ahmed." 

Seeking votes in favour of ‘Boat’, the election symbol of Awami League, in the next general election, Hasina urged all to help continue the development spree.

Chaired by Shibchar Awami League president Md Shamsuddin Khan, the rally was addressed, among others, by party leaders Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, Obaidul Quader, Faruk Khan, Dr Dipu Moni, Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury and Saifuzzaman Shikhor.

Dhaka, Oct 11 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday donated Tk 20 crore to the fund of Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust constituted by the present government to provide financial support to media people during their needs.

She handed over a cheque for the amount to President of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Mollah Jalal at a function at her official residence Ganobhaban in the city.

PM’s media adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, State Minister for Information Tarana Halim, Information Secretary Abdul Malek, Director General of the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) and Managing Director of the Journalist Welfare Trust Md Shah Alamgir, former BFUJ president Abul Kalam Azad, Principal Information Officer (PIO) Kamrun Nahar, BFUJ secretary general Saban Mahmud, president of Dhaka Union of Journalists Abu Jafor Surja and general secretary Sohel Haider Chowdhury were present.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina initiated the trust fund in 2014 by giving seed money of Tk five crore which later got more money from a number of private media houses raising the total to Tk 15 crore over the last four years.

Dhaka, Oct 7 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday provided Tk 1.82 crore as financial assistance for 12 families, including those of late footballer and hockey players, film actor, litterateur and persons critically injured in BNP-Jamaat violence.

The Prime Minister handed over cheques for the amount at her Tejgaon office in the city.

The recipients of the assistance include late footballer Monem Munna’s wife Yeasmin Munna, late hockey player Zahidur Rahman Pushkin’s wife Fahmida Rahman, late hockey star Jumman Lusai’s wife Puei Lusai, actor Sarwar Uddin Danyraj, poet and photographer Billal Hossain, and Jamal Pasha and Nurjahan who were injured in separate incidents of violence unleashed by BNP-Jamaat in Fatikchhari of Chattogram and Chapainawabganj respectively.

Sheikh Hasina provided the financial assistance from the PM’s Relief Fund to meet the treatment cost and bear the family expenditures.
 

Dhaka, Oct 3 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said conspiracies over elections were there and will be there in the future but she does not care about it at all.

“I know, conspiracies were there and would be there, but I don’t care,” she said while replying to a question at a press conference at her official residence Ganobhaban.

The press conference was arranged to brief journalists about the outcome of her recent weeklong visit to the United States to attend the 73rd UN General Assembly.

Replying to a question over the Digital Security Bill, Sheikh Hasina said journalists who do not provide false news need not to be worried over the recently passed Digital Security Bill, 2018.

“If anybody doesn’t have any criminal mindset or any plan to commit any offence in future then there’s nothing for him to be worried about,” she said.

There is nothing here (in the bill) for a journalist to be worried who will not commit any offence or falsely blame anyone and mislead people with false information, she said. 

The Prime Minister said the government examined relevant laws of different countries before formulation of the law.

Responding to a question regarding a recent Facebook post of cricketer Liton Das on the occasion of Durga Puja and its subsequent removal following harsh criticisms by a section of people, Hasina said the government has taken a move to enact the Digital Security Act to deal with such incidents.

"I don't know who wrote those and why, but Bangladesh believes in non-communal attitude and we (Awami League) do the politics of no-communalism," she said.

Hasina also mentioned that those who are involved in spreading communalism and those are perverted have no principle.

The Prime Minister urged all to come forward and become more cautious to prevent these and requested the journalists to play more active role in this regard.

Replying to another question, Sheikh Hasina hoped that all political parties will join the upcoming national election and if any party does not do that will be its own decision.

“So many political parties are there [in the country]. It’s their own party decision which parties would join the polls and which won’t. I hope all the parties will participate in the election,” she said.

The Prime Minister said the AL government is in power for the last 10 years and has carried many development activities. “I want to remind the party leaders and activists that this does not mean the party will return to power automatically in the next election…Bangladesh is not that type of place. Had Bangladesh been more developed and civilised one then this would have happened.”

New Alliance 

Asked about the ‘Greater Unity’, Sheikh Hasina said, “I’m happy that an alliance is being forged. I’m ready to extend any type of help they need.”

The Prime Minister, however, said there are two alliances in Bangladesh -- one is Awami League and another is Anti-Awami League. “The anti-Awami Leaguers will have to go to somewhere and they need a platform.” An alliance is in the offing, and big shots and good people are there. This is good for elections. So, I welcome them.”            

EVM Use  

About the much-talked about Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), the Prime Minister said, “I’ve no problem with the EVM. I’m, in fact, in favour of the EVM. We’ve already modernised the election system. Now it’s Digital Bangladesh. If people can make transactions through mobile phones what is the problem in casting votes through machines? There should be a system so that you can cast your vote through your mobile phone set, and then will not need to go to the polling station.”

Sheikh Hasina said, “You need to understand that we want EVM as Ecnec passed the EVM project. People have elected us and we’ve the trust in them. So, we’ve been working to ensure the voting rights of people.”

Rohingya Issue 

Replying to a question over Rohingya issue, she said the global community is putting pressure on Myanmar to take Rohingyas back to their homeland.

“All are worried over the issue. All countries are creating pressure on Myanmar to take the Rohingyas back,” the Prime Minister told the journalists. 

She said Myanmar has already decided to take back some Rohingyas as per the agreement signed with Bangladesh. 

“Now discussion is on over it. Bangladesh has constructed houses and other infrastructure at Bhasanchar to ensure a better environment for them. I’ll visit Bhasanchar soon.”   

Replying to a question over government’s plan for the local community who have been affected by the huge Rohingya influx, she said the government is providing assistance to local residents alongside the Rohingyas and international agencies are also helping the local communities, she said.