Habiganj: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said people will try BNP leader Khaleda Zia for making the war criminals ministers and allowing them to use flag cars.

"She (Khaleda) wants to save the war criminals. She is the enemy of the country and people. She will be tried one day in people's court," she said while addressing a mammoth public meeting at New Field ground here as the chief guest on Saturday afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina said the nation will never forgive Khaleda Zia for assuming power with the help of war criminals.

"Khaleda betrayed with the souls of thousands of martyrs. She placed our sacred flag on the cars of war criminals. The people will never forgive her. War criminals are now being tried. Khaleda will also be tried for her role in making the war criminals a part of the government in independent Bangladesh."

The Prime Minister said BNP assumed power with criminals and murderers who had killed millions of people during the 1971 Liberation War. The BNP chief made the collaborators cabinet members of the country.

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami and the party secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, both sentenced to death for war crimes, were appointed as ministers during BNP's tenure in government.

Jamaat had actively opposed Bangladesh liberation efforts in 1971 and vigilante militia groups manned by mostly Jamaat members and its student cadres were responsible for widespread atrocities across the country.

Sheikh Hasina said, "Country's people live in peace whenever Awami League comes to power. But, BNP gives birth to terrorism whenever it assumes power. Many AL leaders were killed when BNP was in power. Even, former successful finance minister SAMS Kibria was killed by grenades. They tortured the minorities."

The rally was organised by Habiganj district Awami League. It was presided over by Habiganj Awami League president Md Abu Zahir MP and counducted by Habiganj Awami League general secretary Md Abdul Mazid Khan MP.

Sheikh Hasina went to the venue of the meeting after inaugurating nine development projects and started delivering her speech at about 3.30pm.

Sheikh Hasina said: "BNP's election boycott brought good for the country in one sense. We don't hear abusive languages in parliament anymore. Parliament is running well. People's faith in parliament has returned."

Former social welfare minister Enamul Huq Mostafa Shahid, Adv Mahbub Ali MP, Jubo League chairman Omar Faruk Chowdhury, general secretary Harunur Rashid, AL national council members Shahid Uddin Chowdhury, Suranjit Sengupta MP, Amatul Kibria Keya Chowdhury MP, Lakhai Upazila chairman Mushfiul Alam Azad, Nabiganj upazila chairman Alamgir Chowdhury, Bahubal upazila chairman Abdul Hye, district Jubo League president Ataur Rahman Selim, district AL organising secretary Zakir Hossain Chowdhury Asim, Mashiur Rahman Shamim, and Habiganj Poura Awami League president Adv Niladri Shekhar Purokayastha, among others, addressed the public meeting.

Earlier in the day, the PM inaugurated nine projects including, the Bibiyana Gas Expansion Project and Bibiyana-Dhonua 36 inch high-pressure gas transmission line during her visit to Habiganj after 14 years.

Besides, she laid foundation stones of two 400MW power plants (Bibiyana 1 and Bibiyana 3) and  330MW Combined Cycle Power Plant at Shahji Bazar, a modern stadium, a diabetes hospital, Nursing Institute, Zila Parishad Auditorium and Community Centre, District Shilpakala Academy Building, Server Station, Aleya Zahir College, Shayestaganj Fire Service Station and Ansar-VDP office.

CORR/ZA