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BEA blasts govt for 'creating a climate of impunity'

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Economists of the country mourning the killing of their fellow Shah AMS Kibria yesterday blasted the government for what they said was creating a climate of impunity that is allowing unabated murders of intellectuals.
Referring to the killings of Prof Mohammad Yunus of Rajshahi University and former finance minister Kibria in two months, the economists said elimination of
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freethinkers continues as killers are allowed to get off scot-free.
The economists were addressing a mourning discussion organised by Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA). Kibria was a life member and Yunus was a fellow of the BEA.
The speakers said organised extremist groups have launched an extermination campaign against three key communities of the society -- economists, artistes and journalists -- to gradually take over the state power.
Presiding over the discussion, BEA President Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said if the government fails to bring the culprits to justice, it would lead the nation to a failed and chaotic state.
"Rule of law is at stake as no-one of the killers was punished. In fact, the government could not even identify the organised groups who are behind the string of bomb and grenade attacks," he added.
BEA General Secretary Abul Barakat said, "Conscientious people must unite to foil the conspiracy of anti-liberation forces. Otherwise, the process of elimination of intellectuals will go on."
MA Sattar Mondol of Bangladesh Agricultural University said Kibria was successful as a finance minister as he had focused on rural economy.
Ashraf Uddin Chowdhury of economics department of Dhaka University regretted that some politicians said killing of Kibria was an isolated incident. "After a series of bomb blasts and grenade attacks, we can't term it an isolated incident," he added.
Nasreen Khondkar of the same department expressed her concern as secular thinkers are being targeted by organised killers.
AZM Saleh, assistant general secretary of the BEA, expressed concern as the government could not arrest any of the killers.
Jamal Uddin Ahmed, treasurer of the BEA, said Kibria was a strong reformer. "He handled successfully 1996 stock market collapse, initiated process of true independence of the central bank, expedited privatisation and pioneered independent power producers."