Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday urged  all to be aware about militancy and terrorism in the country and take measurers to eliminate these menaces.

‘We don’t want militancy and terrorism in the country,’ she told a discussion marking the 47th Independence and National Day arranged by Bangladesh Awami League at Krishibid Institution in Dhaka, reports UNB.

Hasina asked the owners of flats and houses to collect information about their tenants before renting their houses to them. ‘You’ll have to take information about the tenants…everyone will have to collect his or her own information to avert the losses now happening,’ she said.

‘I’ll request everyone to keep watch on their own children, students and even those in workplaces and try to find out whether anyone has involvement in militancy,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League President, said the government will do whatever needed to exterminate militancy from the country and asserted that the anti-militancy drive will continue. ‘I’m seeking help from all so that the merit and knowledge of people don’t go in vein going to the wrong path.’

Coming down heavily on the BNP-Jamaat clique for always pampering the militancy and terrorism in the country, Hasina said they always look for ways to help militancy.

‘If not, why do they get hurt we conduct drives against militancy and militants, they’re trying to save and protect the militants, they’re trying to divert the attention of people to another direction. So, they’re playing the same records again and again,’ she said.

Turning to the debate over the proclamation of the country’s independence, the Prime Minister urged all not to get involved in the debate as this is a settled issue. ‘The High Court in its verdict clearly said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the independence,’ she said.

Hasina questioned the intention of those who have not accepted the court verdict. ‘This section of people never believed in the country’s independence and they always obey the defeated forces. That’s why they raise such question and it’s our misfortune.’

She also criticised the BNP-Jamaat clique for not observing the Genocide Day on March 25. ‘When the Cabinet approved it, it means all have to observe the Genocide Day. But what we saw is that they didn’t observe the Genocide Day,’ she said.

The Prime Minister said it is now clear that the nexus does not believe in the country’s independence. ‘BNP has made it clear that they aren’t with the country’s people… they’re with the Razakars, Al Shams, Al Badrs and occupational forces,’ she said.

Hasina reiterated her strong commitment of protecting the independence which was earned through the exchange of blood of millions and take the country to the world arena keeping its head high.

She said no single person will remain homeless in the country as her government is implementing a programme to provide houses to 280,000 people with nowhere to live.

The Prime Minister said about 5 crore people were graduated from low income group to middle income group over the last eight years following the implementation of various social safety net programmes.

She urged people to make commitment to work together to turn the country into a middle income one by 2021 and prosperous and enriched one by 2041.

At the outset of the discussion, a one-minute silence was observed as a mark of profound respects to the memories of the martyrs of the Liberation War and 1975.

AL Presidium Member and Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, AL Advisory Council Member Tofail Ahmed, Presidium Members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Joint Secretary Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif, Gazipur Zila Parishad Chairman Akhtaruzzaman, Dhaka North AL General Secretary Sadek Khan and Dhaka South AL General Secretary Shahe Alam Murad also spoke at the discussion, among others.

AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud conducted the programme.