Crossfire to continue until terrorism uprooted: minister
Courtesy New Age 4/10/09
Staff Correspondent
The government will need to continue with extrajudicial killing, commonly called ‘crossfire,’ until terrorist activities and extortion is uprooted, said a senior minister in Sheikh Hasina’s cabinet.
‘A time will come when it will no longer be required,’ said the shipping minister, Shahjahan Khan, as he answered a question at the BBC’s Bangladesh Sanglap at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on Saturday.
‘No government wants to continue with extrajudicial killing. But we need to understand the reality. There are incidents trial of which is not possible under laws of the land,’ Shahjahan said, adding the government has no other option.
The programme recorded on Saturday will be aired on the BBC Bangla Service on Sunday and on Channel i on Monday.
BNP leader and former minister for power Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, executive director of non-governmental organisation Drishtipat Asif Saleh and assistant professor of mass communication and journalism in Dhaka University Sabrina Sultana Chowdhury attended as other panellists in the dialogue.
‘Nobody is interested in filing cases against the criminals who carry out terrorist act one after another. Under the circumstances what other option is left for the government?’ said the minister
Three other panellists of the dialogue and most of the audience were, however, opposed to the minister’s stand on the ‘crossfire’ as a means to end terrorist activities.
In reply to a question, BNP leader Iqbal Hasan Mahmud said although the practice began during the immediate-past BNP government, it has now become clear that terrorist activities cannot be stopped even with ‘crossfire.’
‘The practice of crossfire must be brought to an end as many good people are being killed,’ the former minister said.
In reply to a question on rice prices, Shahjahan gave an assurance that prices of rice would not increase as the government has sufficient stock.
‘There are some unscrupulous businessmen who are trying to create panic in the market to make extra profit,’ he said.
Asked why the government cannot take action against the ‘unscrupulous businessmen,’ the minister said, ‘Whenever the government goes for action against them, they call strike and that is why the government has not yet been able to control such unscrupulous businessmen.’
The government is trying to take action against them, he said.
Iqbal Hasan said, ‘Although the government talked of the supply of goods to the market to contain prices before Eid, it did not import anything to create a balance on the market.’
In reply to a question of the audience on Jalil’s recent remarks on the Awami League’s compromised deal with the military-controlled interim government before the December 2008 elections for coming to power, Shahjahan said people should have the right to express their views and opinions in a democracy.
‘The people and party men would decide the fate of Abdul Jalil. He will need to be drive out of politics if the people do not accept his statement,’ he said.
Iqbal Hasan said although Abdul Jalil had spoken the truth, he could have raised the issue in the party forum.
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