Will treat the injured, punish the criminals: PM Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has assured the injured people of proper treatment and said culprits should be given appropriate punishment so that none dares toy with the people's lives.

"They should be given appropriate punishment so that none can play ducks and drakes with the lives of the country's people anymore," she said while visiting the injured people in the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Friday (July 26).

She also stressed the need for proper punishment for the perpetrators of the recent countrywide violence.

"It is a very painful situation. So many people are now injured and killed," she said in an emotion-choked voice.

She said, "I never wanted such a 'procession of death' would take place. But such a thing happened in Bangladesh today. I never wanted anyone to lose their dear ones in this country."

Sheikh Hasina said her government has been implementing all necessary steps for elevating socio-economic condition of the people and a better life for the people.

"My question is what achievement they've gained from it. How many people lost their lives! How many families were affected!" she added.

The premier prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and wished quick recovery of the injured ones.

"We'll do whatever is needed for their treatments. There was no deficiency in providing them with treatments," she said.

She said the physicians, the Health Minister and the State Minister for Health have been visiting the injured patients and ensuring their proper treatment.

Sheikh Hasina said she would visit more hospitals where the injured are now undergoing treatment.

She said that Jamaat-Shibir, BNP and Chhatra Dal have been carrying out these destructive acts taking advantage of the quota movement.

"They've got no sense of humanity, no love and affection for the country, no sense of responsibility towards the country and they do not consider people as people," she said.

The premier asked the countrymen to be united against this barbarism and such heinous incidents. "We accepted all demands (placed by the students). Then why is it (movement) again? That's my question. Is it to create scope for militancy?" she said.

Sheikh Hasina extended her sincere thanks to the physicians for rendering their service to the injured people.

The premier went to the emergency unit of DMCH around 4:30pm and inquired about the condition of the injured people, who are now undergoing treatment there after being attacked during havoc and atrocities by BNP-Jamaat.

She gave the necessary instructions to the hospital authorities for proper treatment of the victims.

Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen, State Minister for Health Dr Rokeya Sultana and local lawmaker AFM Bahauddin Nasim were present.

Earlier, the Prime Minister visited the vandalised metro rail station at Mirpur 10 in the capital on Thursday morning and Bangladesh Television (BTV) Bhaban this morning to see the magnitude of the damage after these establishments came under attack during the violence carried out by the BNP-Jamaat-Shibir.