PM warns against crimes like rape
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday issued a strong warning against crimes like rape, saying that her government will do whatever necessary to contain such offences.
“Those who are committing such heinous crimes are not human beings. So we will take whatever punitive action is required,” she said, BSS reports.
The prime minister’s warning came when she responded to a question at a press conference about rise in the incidents of rape of women and children in recent time.
The press conference was arranged to brief the media about the outcome of her just-concluded bilateral official visit to China.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen were present on the dais along with the prime minister, while PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim moderated it.
Sheikh Hasina said the police are tracking down and arresting the rapists. “The criminals also confess their offences,” she said.
The prime minister said now the victims can disclose it. “But there was a time in our country when many could not say it due to social shame,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina urged males alongside the females to raise their voice against such crimes.
Sheikh Hasina said people should accept the recent hike in gas prices for the sake of the country’s economic development as the government is to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) at high cost.
“If you truly want economic development, it’ll have to be accepted,” she said replying to a question about the gas price hike.
The premier said Bangladesh attained 8.1 percent GDP growth in the last fiscal year. “It was possible as we paid enough attention to energy and we could increase power generation. We’re to import gas, but the import cost of LNG is huge,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the import cost of per cubic feet LNG is Tk 61.12, but it is being sold at Tk 9.80/cf by providing huge subsidy. “Over Tk 10,000 crore as subsidy is to be given even after the gas price hike,” she added.
The premier said there are two options — either you refrain from increasing economic growth by reducing LNG import or accept the price hike in the interest of economic development. The gas prices are adjusted also in all countries following energy or gas import, she added.
The prime minister said the gas prices here are much less than those in India. The gas prices are adjusted in India two times every year – in April and October.
Taking a swipe at protestors, the Prime Minister said leftist and rightist parties raise the same voice over it. “They forgot the situation that prevailed before 8-9 years,” she said.
In 2004-2005, India wanted to take gas from Myanmar installing a pipeline through Bangladesh, but Khaleda Zia government didn’t allow it.
“Had I been in power at that time, I would have allowed the pipeline keeping share of Bangladesh from the gas,” she said and that had Bangladesh taken the share and used the same for economic development, it would not have to import LNG now.
