Finish trial of arsonists speedily: PM

Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina asked the administration and law-enforcement agencies on Monday to finish the trial of arsonists by pressing chargesheet quickly so that they cannot dare commit such heinous crime again, report agencies.

"It is not enough to arrest and file cases against those who are involved in burning people to death and torching buses, trucks and other vehicles by hurling petrol bombs. You will have to take proper steps against the arsonists to complete their trial by pressing chargesheet against them speedily," she said.

If it is not carried out, she said, the arsonists would carry out such brutal acts again after getting bail from the court.

The PM said this while exchanging views with district development coordination committees of Bogra and Satkhira through videoconferencing from Bangladesh Secretariat.

Asking the local administration to give proper attention towards implementing the development works, she said agricultural produces in rural areas should have to be produced, processed, preserved and marketed properly. "Cold storages, chilling system, processing and marketing system should be developed either in public or private initiatives.

Sheikh Hasina suggested setting up food-processing SME industries prioritising the farm produces in the areas where those are produced a plenty and then marketing and exporting those.

Besides, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions as well as Jhenidha, Narail, Joypurhat and Sirajganj district development coordination committees were connected to the videoconferencing.

Sheikh Hasina also put emphasis on continuing joint drive and mobile court against the terrorists. "Ensuring security to the life of the people is the biggest matter ... those who burnt the people to death must be punished. So the joint drive would continue until the life of the people is secure," she said.

State Minister for Public Administration Ismat Ara Sadique, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, Public Administration Senior Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, PMO Secretary Suraiya Begum were, among others, present at the videoconferencing conducted by Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan.

Hasina said the districts under the Rajshahi division were the worst affected ones before the January-5 polls.