BNP men face no political cases: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said no case filed against BNP men is political as they were accused of specific criminal charges that include arson attacks, grenade attacks, firearms smuggling and corruption.

"BNP is now going everywhere and crying about the cases against them. Ask them, what are the cases about? They committed crimes and legal actions were taken against them. It is the reality," she said.

The cases should be disposed of quickly to ensure punishment for those crimes, the premier said while speaking at a view exchange with central committee members of Bangladesh Krishak League on the occasion of its 52nd founding anniversary at her official Ganabhaban residence on Friday (19 April) morning.

Mentioning that the BNP unleashed arson violence in 2013 and 2014 to resist the 2014 general election, she said during the mayhem they burnt 3800 cars, buses, launches and trains.

About violence before the 12th parliamentary election, she said the BNP committed the 28th October incident and killed a mother and her child by setting fire to trains to thwart the polls.

"Won't cases be filed against those who committed these things? Would people worship them?" she said.

Turning down the claim that 60 lakh BNP leaders and workers are in jail, the prime minister said all jails of the country do not have the capacity to accommodate so many people.

The premier said if so many lakhs of BNP men are detained in jails, it means all who are now in jails are their men and there are no other criminals anymore. "It means all criminals there (in the jails) belong to the BNP."

Describing the horrific scenes of violence and torture on Awami League leaders and activists during BNP regimes, the PM said her government didn't go to take revenge, rather utilised the merit and power in developing the country and working for its people.

"It is their good luck that we are in power. They still get scopes to talk (raise voice) as we are not revengeful like them. They talk all day using the loud speaker and then they say they don't have the scope to speak," she said.

President of Bangladesh Krishak League Samir Chandra presided over the function. Bangladesh Krishak League, an associate body of Bangladesh Awami League, was established on April 19, 1972.

Development in agriculture 

Sheikh Hasina has stressed the need for increasing production of crops to ensure cooperative agriculture following the footprints of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

She said cooperative agriculture can protect a huge quantity of arable land by erasing ail. "Make sure that not a single inch of land remains uncultivated."

The prime minister also emphasised on making agriculture mechanised alongside doing research in agriculture. "Bangladesh is the most successful in agriculture research. We have to continue the trend of success," she said.

The premier briefly described her government's initiatives that include food preservation and food management for the overall development of the agriculture sector.

"The agriculture of Bangladesh has developed as the government gave priority to research in agriculture and farmers as well," she said.

The premier said her government has been giving subsidies of Tk26,000 crore in agriculture.

The food production has increased with various initiatives taken by the Awami League government, she added.

"Once those who thought about salt-rice or pulse-rice, now think about fish-meat-egg. So, those who criticise the government, should consider these to decide whether Bangladesh is developed," she said.

Krishak League leaders led by Samir Chandra and acting General Secretary Bishwanath Sarker Bitu greeted the premier on the organisation's 52nd founding anniversary.

The prime minister gifted the Krishak League leaders with vegetables produced in the Ganabhaban