Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Thursday asked rebel BDR jawans to immediately lay down weapons and to go back to their barracks saying otherwise, the government would be forced to take stern actions, reports BSS.
"Go back to your barracks laying down your arms, otherwise, we will have to take stern actions," she said in a nationwide broadcast a day after she announced a general amnesty.
"Unless you give up your weapons, I will be forced to take stern actions in the interest of the countrymen, don't force me to do so."
The prime minister made the comment, as efforts were underway to resolve the crisis with senior government leaders continuing talks with the rebel soldiers.
The prime minister further warned them not to "do anything which will break the threshold level of my patience" and compel her to take a drastic step in "country's interest." She cautioned the rebellious soldiers to be careful against "any provocation by any vested quarters" and "not to pay any heed to any kind of rumour."
She also urged them to evade any "suicidal" step, which might lead to further confrontational situation.
"Don't take law in your own hand; all have to follow the chain of command," the prime minister said.
She said the loss of lives of BDR personnel, army officers and civilians deeply saddened her and appealed to all concerned to refrain from any retaliatory action "which may deepen the tragedy".
"Everybody is your brother. Don't fire gunshots on their chest, don't make a sister a widow and a father sonless. Nobody knows how painful the agonies of losing the dear ones more than me," Hasina said as emotion gripped her tone.
The prime minister said when her government was going to take measures to improve living standard of the people by improving their economic conditions and consolidating democracy, such an incident occurred.
While assuring necessary steps on behalf of her government to mitigate their jawans' demands and remove professional problems, the prime minister called upon all concerned not to do any thing that may make the situation more complex.
She said government has already constituted a high-powered committee headed by the home minister to look into the demands and grievances of the BDR.
Referring to her meeting with a 14-member BDR delegation and their subsequent appeal, the prime minister said she had already announced general amnesty for the rebel BDR men and asked them to go back to barracks by depositing arms.
"We do not believe in solving the problems by applying force", she said adding that her government is trying to solve it through discussions.
In this connection, she referred to the efforts undertaken by ministers, MPs and other leaders since the beginning of the incident.
While expressing her deep sympathy to the bereaved family members of the victims, the prime minister said necessary steps have taken for proper treatment of the injured persons.
While referring to the problems of the BDR personnel as well as common people, the prime minister said she is aware of their hardship with their limited income because of soaring prices of essentials.
"We have pledged to the nation in our election manifesto to redress their sufferings and bring changes, and the people gave their verdict in our favour", she said.
The government has passed only 50 days and by now prices of commodities including rice, fertilizer, pulse, oil, kerosene, diesel have started coming down and reached within the purchasing capacity of people, she added.
Besides, she said, agriculture inputs at fair prices have been made easily available to the farmers while efforts are there to improve the power supply situation.
Sheikh Hasina said the responsibility of the government is to protect the basic rights of people and to uphold democracy as without democracy no economic prosperity could be achieved he called upon the countrymen to come forward to supplement the government efforts in this regard.
