Staff correspondent:

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has warned of strict action against the BNP-Jamaat clique if they engage in any arson or sabotage activities in the name of the movement.
He said, ‘In the name of the movement, many others, including BNP-Jamaat, want to enter the field. We have no say in this matter. But if they again commit such acts of arson or any destructive act or engage in any kind of mischief, we will not give concessions. This is the reality.’
The Prime Minister said this while addressing the chief guest at the lawyers’ convention after the inauguration of the newly constructed 15 Bar Council building.
Bangabandhu organized the Awami Lawyer Parishad at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.
Earlier this morning, the Prime Minister inaugurated the newly constructed 15-storey Bangladesh Bar Council building with state-of-the-art facilities in the area adjacent to the High Court of Dhaka.
The Chief Minister called on the lawyers for speedy disposal of the arson cases across the country.
He said, you know how many of our leaders and activists have been killed by this BNP. In 2001, when he came to power, he beat them with a hammer and crushed them to death. Then it created a more dire situation by arson in 2013, 14 and 15. They killed 29 policemen that time. 3 thousand 225 people were burned, 500 people were burned to death. 388 vehicles, private cars of common people, CNG, 29 railways, 9 launches were set on fire. People have been killed by setting fire to moving private cars, buses and trucks.
Sheikh Hasina said that the cases against those who are involved in this arson in the district and the cases are ongoing should be completed quickly. This is my request to lawyers and government officials. Because, if they cannot be punished, they have committed so much wrong while the leaders and workers of Awami League are the most oppressed. So why not punish them? Why won’t their judgment be speedy? You must pay attention to that. Because, if wrongdoing is condoned, they will increase. Of course they should be tried in Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister said, therefore, you should not only prosecute the cases of these crimes, but you should also ensure that they get proper punishment. He also mentioned that it is his own demand to the lawyers.
He said that injustice should not continue in this country. Let people get justice. Those of us who have lost our loved ones understand the pain of surviving the loss of a relative. He thanked the Almighty Allah Rabbul Alamin for being able to prosecute the murder of the Father of the Nation and the November 3 prison murder. Ziaur Rahman is involved in these murders. He also referred to Zia as its beneficiary.
The Prime Minister said, we want people’s rights to be protected. Let justice be ensured. We should not have to wait 35 years to get justice. I call for a speedy trial.
Sheikh Hasina said, in these 29 years from ’75 to ’96 and from 2001 to 2008, there has been no change in the fate of the people of this country. Those who were in power were busy making their own destiny and not for the country. But only when the Awami League came to power, the fortunes of the people of the country started to return. 2009 to 2023 Today’s Bangladesh is a changing Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina said that no one should play with the fate of the people of Bangladesh as they did earlier. I have a request to you so that it cannot be done again, that not even an inch of land should be left uncultivated anywhere. He produces what he can.
The Prime Minister unveiled the cover of a book titled ‘Bangabandhu’s Legal Philosophy’ on the occasion. The National Anthem was played at the beginning of the program and later, artists from Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy took part in a short cultural performance.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haque presided over the event.
Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation and Member Secretary of Bangabandhu Awami Lawyers Parishad Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor spoke as a special guest at the tapas event.
Advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun, convener of Bangabandhu Awami Lawyers Parishad, Attorney General and Chairman of Bangladesh Bar Council A.M. Amin Uddin, Bangladesh Bar Council Vice Chairman Advocate Syed Rezaur Rahman, Bangladesh Awami League Legal Affairs Secretary Kazi Md. Najibullah Hiru and others.
Secretary of Law and Justice Department. Golam Sarwar delivered the welcome speech.
Tk 138 crore has been spent on the construction of the multi-storied newly constructed Bangladesh Bar Council building with modern facilities.
The construction of the building was completed under the supervision of the Law and Justice Department, the management of the Public Works Department and the design of the Department of Architecture. It has adequate office space, meeting room, two conference rooms, record room, store room, waiting area, cafeteria, day-care center, exhibition space, reception, registration room, bank, accounts section, IT section etc. There are training rooms for lawyers, five tribunal rooms, spacious multipurpose hall, separate prayer rooms for men and women. Apart from this, arrangements have been made to accommodate hundreds of lawyers including TV lounge, kitchen and dining hall.
The building has four lifts, fire fighting system, CC cameras, air conditioning and separate toilets for male-female-disabled. Landscaping through arboriculture has been done in the project. Besides, separate electric lines are connected through substations and generators for uninterrupted power supply.

The Prime Minister emphasized on maintaining communal harmony in the country and said, “Religion belongs to everyone, festival belongs to everyone.” No one will attack anyone’s religion. Attention should be paid so that no such incident happens in Bangladesh.
Mentioning that his government is working for the welfare of the people, he pointed out the various steps taken for the judiciary and lawyers and said that there should not be any hindrance in the establishment of the rule of law in the country. We have launched e-judiciary as an initiative to make smart judiciary. An initiative has been taken to set up a virtual court in the jail. The laws have been revised and modernized.
Stating that his government will take the initiative to arrange special plots for lawyers in the district in the future, the head of government said, “At once, I have a request that you accept the universal pension scheme.” Apart from this, I will give another 30 crore rupees to your welfare fund, which was made by the father of the nation, and I have also given it at different times. You common lawyers will also contribute to it.
Sheikh Hasina said, the more we become self-reliant, the more we can provide opportunities for everyone, starting from lawyers. Let’s all work together to build that Bangladesh. You will be with people. Wherever you see wrongdoing, work to punish the wrongdoer.
He said, caretaker government came and arrested me already. When arrested, you lawyers stood by. Constantly filed one case after another. harassed me But I didn’t. Along with the lower court, the lawyers of the high court also stood by. He thanked everyone for that.
He said that the Padma Bridge was done with its own funding. Allegations of corruption came, I challenged, I did not come to do corruption. It was later proven false in court.
The Prime Minister said, I know there is a demand to build a lawyer building. As soon as financial prosperity comes, we can gradually do it in all districts. But there is a condition here, there must be funds from the side of the lawyers. You set up a fund, you give and I will give.
He said, from the lowest level to the highest level, everyone in the country gets justice and a better life, free from poverty is our effort. As a result of our long efforts, we have reduced the poverty rate from 41 percent during the BNP government to 18.7 percent. Where the poor were 25.5 percent, we have reduced it to only five percent. Inshallah no one will be poor, landless, homeless, addressless in this country. That is our goal.
In this regard, he further said that we have increased production through research to ensure food safety. Today we have about 1.8 lakh metric tons of rice production or grains in stock here.
Referring to the establishment of judicial structure in Bangladesh by the hands of the father of the nation, he said, the father of the nation not only gave us a constitution after 9 months of building a war-torn country, in 1972 he issued the ‘Bangladesh Legal Practitioner and Bar Council Order 1972’. Bangladesh Bar Council was established and 44 percent of land was allocated to them and a welfare fund was established for lawyers with a grant of 50,000 taka. It was he who changed the law of Pakistan era and created the opportunity for women to enter the judiciary. Following in the footsteps of Bangabandhu, the government led by him after coming to power after 21 years in 1996 took steps to ensure the rule of law in the country by making women judges the first high court.
He said that steps to ensure human rights, justice, agriculture, industry and health were initiated by the father of the nation. He also started the trial of war criminals along with the preparation of the sea delimitation area.
Recalling the tragic chapter of 1975, Sheikh Hasina said, the unscrupulous Mushtaq seized power with the help of Ziaur Rahman by killing Bangabandhu and his family. But could not survive. Zia came out with the original look. seized power. At once the army chief declared himself the president again. Promulgating the Indemnity Ordinance closed the way to trial for the murder of the Father of the Nation. By destroying the election process, he formed the party himself and rigged the constitution with a two-thirds majority.
Ziaur Rahman put the murderers in power. Parents cannot seek justice for murder, the murderers are in power, in such a situation, he recalled returning to the country somehow after being elected as the president of Awami League in 1981.
He said, at that time, I returned to the country and saw that the rulers had improved the fortunes of some people by lavishly distributing power. But there was no improvement in the fortunes of the people. I wander around the countryside. I see the suffering of people. Later after 21 years we Awami League came to power and canceled the Indemnity Ordinance. Take various steps for judiciary.
The head of government said that in 2001, BNP-Jamaat came to power by guaranteeing the sale of gas in Bangladesh. They have laundered the money of the country. Made a country of corruption and terror. Bombing across the country, grenade attacks on 21 August. They made the country a terror sanctuary. And today I have improved in all areas. Bangladesh is no longer lagging behind.