Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the doors of Ganabhaban are always open to the student protesters for dialogue to resolve the ongoing situation surrounding the quota system in public services.
“I do not want this confrontation,” she said while holding views exchange meeting with the members of Peshajibi Swmannay Porishad at her official residence Ganabhaban. “If they (protesters) want to sit with me I’m ready.”
“They may come taking their guardians with them,” she said.
“I want to talk to them. I want to listen to them, I want to hear what are their demands left unfulfilled. I want to fulfil all those which are under my capacity,” she said in first such gesture since the students’ street protests for quota reforms in government jobs began a month ago.
Sheikh Hasina, the chief of Awami League, said that she never closed her doors for holding a dialogue with the students.
“Doors of Ganabhaban are open, whenever the protesters want to talk to resolve the issue I am ready to sit with them,” she said.
Regarding the judicial investigation commission she said, “I did not wait for anyone’s demand.”
She said that she wanted whoever is involved be it the police or anyone else should be prosecuted. All those who had weapons and who caused such incidents should be prosecuted and investigated.
She mentioned that not only in Dhaka, all the destructive activities that happened elsewhere in the country will be investigated and proper justice will be ensured.
“That is why I appointed two more judges in the judicial commission and added three members,” she said.
She also mentioned that she has increased their scope of work and extended the time so that it is properly investigated.
Hasina said that she wanted that those who committed such unjust killings will be investigated properly and put on trial.
“I want that. Those involved in the murders must be brought to justice. I make it clear that whoever is involved in the murder must be brought to justice. Those involved will be identified after investigation,” she said.
Talking about the incident in Rangpur where one student was killed allegedly by police she said the policeman reportedly resonsible for it has been suspended and is under investigation. “And he will be tried.”
The prime minister mentioned that students among the arrestees have already been freed on bail.
“At the same time, I also ordered to start releasing all the innocent people among the detainees and the students who are absolutely not involved in the murders and the destructive activities . It is starting,” she said.
She also said that those who will be found guilty will remain in jail only and the rest will be released.
President of Peshajibi Somonnoy Parishad Professor Dr. Kamrul Hasan Khan, Awami League Presidium Members Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Dr Mostofa Jalal Mohiuddin, Advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun, Prof Dr Niamul Huq Bhuiyan, Engineer Md Abdus Sabur, Dr Md Jamal Uddin Chowdhury, Prof Dr Engineer Md Habibur Rahman, Dhaka Union of Journalists President, Sohel Haider Chowdhury, Principal AKM Fazlul Haque, Engineer SM Khabiruzzaman and Advocate Abdur Rahman Hawlader, Secretary General Engineer Md Shahadat Hossain Shiblu, joint secretary generals Prof Dr Zeenat Huda, Advocate Shah Monjurul Hoque, Dr Ehteshamul Hoque Chowdhury, Khairul Alam Prince, SM Monjurul Haque and Dr Md Ohidul Islam, among others, spoke on the occasion.
Former President of Jatiya Press Club Md Shafiqur Rahman,MP, and Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Abul Kalam Azad, among others, were present.
Meanwhile, the PM has assigned three heavyweight leaders of Awami League to sit with the coordinators of the ongoing Anti-Discrimination Student Movement to calm the situation.
Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, assigned the responsibility to AL Presidium Member Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim.
The PM’s instruction came following an emergency meeting at Gono Bhaban on Friday night, meeting sources said.
In the meeting, Sheikh Hasina instructed to be “careful” and “tolerant towards the general students”
However, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement leaders have rejected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s call for holding a dialogue.
Asif Mahmud, one of the coordinators of the platform, wrote in a Facebook post: “Many are asking about this, especially journalist friends. We are not willing to sit for any dialogue with this murderer government; hence, discussion with the political party Awami League is out of the question.”
“We have no plans to talk with them. Our demand is very clear; if they have any statement, they can put them through the media in front of the people of the country. The decision of the protesting students and people is our decision. There is no dialogue with bullets and terror,” Asif’s post reads.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the doors of Ganabhaban are always open to the student protesters for dialogue to resolve the ongoing situation.
“Doors of Ganabhaban are open, whenever the protesters want to talk to resolve the issue I am ready to sit with them,” she said.
