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Khaleda goes tough on opposition

BSS, Dhaka
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia said yesterday her government had given a lot of concessions to the opposition during its past tenure and warned that this time the government would be tough on criminals and anarchists.
"No concession will be given to those indulging in chaos and crime," said Khaleda Zia while speaking at a huge gathering of businessmen at Islampur in old Dhaka.
Blaming the major opposition
(Awami League) for resorting to terrorism, killing, frequent hartals and a smear campaign abroad, the Prime Minister asked the opposition not to compel the government to take stern actions against it for its misdeeds.
Vowing to keep up a peaceful atmosphere in people's interest and to carry out development activities for their wellbeing, Khaleda Zia said the government would not allow any quarters to resort to criminal activities.
She said her alliance govern-
ment, which had inherited a crippled economy, carried out massive development works in all sectors during the last 19 months.
Khaleda Zia said the government had earned people's confidence through implementation of various socio-economic development programmes for their welfare.
She said the major opposition
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had started a vilification campaign against the government besides hatching conspiracies.
The major opposition, the prime minister said, played the role of opposition even when it was in power and that is why this party should be dubbed as a "permanent opposition".
She said the past Awami League government had spent a huge amount of money in unproductive sectors taking loans from abroad at a high rate of interest. She was also critical of spending nearly Taka 700 crore in Tungipara instead of spending the money for any other development work.
Criticising the opposition for calling frequent hartals without any issue or reason and also in violation of its earlier promise, Khaleda Zia said the recent hartal called by the opposition during the visit of Indonesian President Megawati and US Secretary of State Colin Powell was designed to create an adverse impression about Bangladesh.
But the foreign dignitaries, she said, visited Bangladesh and returned with the impression that Bangladesh is a liberal democratic country.
The function was addressed among others by Minister for Public Works and Housing Mirza Abbas, Mayor of Dhaka City Corporation Sadeque Hossain Khoka, State Minister for Labour and Employment Amanullah Aman,
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mizanur Rahman Sinha, Advisor to the Ministry of Commerce Barkatullah Bulu, and members of parliament--Salahuddin Ahmed, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintoo and Mahi B. Chowdhury.
Organised by the Islampur Clothes Merchants Association in observance of the 22nd death anniversary of the late President Ziaur Rahman, the function was presided over by Hasanuddin Mollah.
A Milad Mahfil was held on the occasion and a special prayer was offered seeking divine blessings for eternal peace of Shaheed Zia's soul and for peace, progress and prosperity of the country. Begum Zia attended the special prayer.
The clothes merchants of Islampur organise a similar programme every year on the occasion of the death anniversary of Ziaur Rahman.
The old parts of Dhaka city were packed with people braving drizzles and inclement weather.
The prime minister also criticised the immediate past mayor of Dhaka for not functioning properly.
Begum Zia said the present mayor had to bear the burden of debt taken from the banks by his predecessor.
She said the trials of all killings including the killing of Sohel would be held. Begum Zia said speedy trial courts were set up for speedy disposal of sensational cases to
ensure justice.
The prime minister described the proposed budget as a good one and said the budgetary proposals would be passed after discussion in parliament, keeping in mind the interests of people and the country. She said the decision on the proposed duties on clothes would be taken to protect the interests of the clothes merchants.
Speaking on the occasion, other ministers and leaders of the ruling party castigated opposition leader Sheikh Hasina for creating law and order situation by directing her party leaders and workers to resort to destructive activities.
Blaming the Awami League and its leader Sheikh Hasina for the killing of Sohel and for other murders, they said the politics of Awami League was not aimed at protecting the interests of the people.
In his speech, Mirza Abbas said the Awami League was spreading terrorism throughout the country in a planned way and campaigning to malign the country.
Mayor of Dhaka Sadeque Hossain Khoka said the alliance government would not relinquish power even five minutes before the expiry of its tenure. He asked the opposition leader to refrain from issuing threats to the government and claimed that the AL was not capable of facing the BNP in the streets.