Don’t pay heed to rumors: PM urges countrymen

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged the people of the country not to pay heed to rumours and get confused by false propaganda.
‘A vested quarter is trying to create in stability in the country through false propaganda. Please don’t pay heed to any rumour and don’t get confused by any false propaganda,’ she said.
The prime minister said this while inaugurating optical fiber connectivity in 300 unions of ten districts under National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Development (Info-Sarker Third Phase) through a video conference from her official residence Ganobhaban.
‘Whatever you see or hear, verify those first, please don’t believe anything without verification, I’ll specially request the school students and youths about it,’ she said.
The 10 districts where 300 unions were brought under fiber connectivity are Kurigram, Nilphamari, Bagura, Netrakona, Habiganj, Patuakhali, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Rajshahi and Chandpur.
Posts, telecommunications and information technology minister Mustafa Jabbar and state minister for information and communication technology division Zunaid Ahmed Palak also spoke at the programme.
The prime minister exchanged views with beneficiaries in five districts — Kurigram, Nilphamari, Bagura, Netrakona and Rajshahi.
The main goals of the Info-Sarker 3rd Phase project are setting up the optical fibre connectivity in 2600 unions of the country and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing network in 400 upazilas of 64 districts.
Mustafa Jabbar said the government was taking measures to reach internet network to the very remote areas where reaching cable or optical fibre is not possible, by using Bangabandhu Satellite-1.
Palak said some 10 crore people would come under high speed broadband connectivity with the implementation of the project.
Principal secretary at the prime minister’s office Md Nojibur Rahman conducted the function, while ICT division secretary Zuena Aziz made a presentation on the project.
The prime minister said the children came down on the streets after the incident and they have been doing what they want for the last few days.
‘They’re checking vehicles and papers. I don’t know what they actually know about the checking, but they’re doing that. Police, BGB and RAB have showed their patience, we all are helping them. Our ministers, MPs, judges are obeying what they are saying. We didn’t resist them. We can realise their sentiment and pain,’ she said.
The Prime Minister also mentioned that the students vandalised police buses, motorcycles, attacked RAB members. ‘What we’re seeing now is dangerous...a third party has got involved in this agitation.’
Hasina said suddenly the sale of school uniforms in Gausia and ID cards in Polashi have increased alarmingly. ‘Are all these students, now I’m anxious about the safety of the school students,’ she said.
She said those who were involved in arson attacks, killed people through hurling fire-bombs sneaked into the student movement. ‘They can do anything.’
The prime minister said the police started the Traffic Week from the day and now there was no need for the school students in traffic control. ‘What the students have done, that’s good...now there’s no need of them... if anyone of them wants to volunteer, I’ve directed the police to involve them.’
Hasina urged the guardians, teachers and all to keep their children either in houses or schools. ‘What they’ve done is enough, we didn’t resist them, now the third party is out there in the field, if anything happens who’ll take the responsibility?’ she questioned.
The prime minister mentioned that there is nothing left that the third party can do.
She asked the guardians and teachers to take back their children to schools as pursuing education is their only responsibility.
‘Let them give attention to their academic activities, let them build themselves as worthy citizens of the country so that they could lead the country and make it more beautiful,’ she said.
The prime minister said the government is implementing all the demands of the students one by one. ‘I will request all that this is enough now, stop it, let the children go back to their homes and pay attention to their studies,’ she said. 
Coming down heavily on a section of people who always try to fish in the troubled water, Hasina said they are trying to create a situation where they could gain some results.
She said, ‘Yesterday suddenly a group of youths attacked the AL office in Dhanmondi. Why did AL office come under attack? 17-18 activists were injured badly.’
The prime minister also said there are some newspapers which never want the continuation of a healthy atmosphere in the country. ‘They always want to create something else that will hinder the healthier political process in the country, they get some importance in the troubled situation in the country as they can be minister and get flag in their vehicles.’
She said they have no right to create confusion through false propaganda.
Hasina urged all to use the internet, social media, Facebook and Youtube for good purposes, not for ugly ones. ‘Sometimes, we see such bad language used in the social media that gives us shame and hatred; these should not be used for wrong works.’
Technology should be used for constructive works and to create a peaceful atmosphere that will be beneficial for all, she said adding, ‘We want the children to attain proper education and build themselves for an improved life. They’re supposed to build a beautiful country!’
Hasina also urged the students to remain vigil so that the image of the independent country that earned through huge sacrifice must not be tarnished. 
About the recent accident where two students lost their lives, the prime minister said she was very much sorry and took immediate steps.
The prime minister said the government has already taken a move to enact a traffic law.
‘The cabinet in principle approved its draft, it has been sent to the law ministry for its vetting,’ she said urging all to abide by traffic rules properly.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net