Hasina whips \\\'civil society\\\' members

Sheikh Hasina has upbraided some elements in Bangladesh's civil society for suggesting a greater ‘balance of power’ between the president and prime minister by effecting a constitutional amendment. "Some of these people were bootlickers of military rulers, some enjoyed positions under successive military junta, some worked loyally for the men in uniform," a furious prime minister remarked at an event for laying the foundation stone of the "Tathya Bhaban"  Wednesday. "These people never talked of democracy before,  but as we make our system more and more free, the effect of democracy seems to rub on to them and they want more," she said. "During military rule, was their conscience in cold storage?" she asked.  Hasina was reacting to the Tuesday discussion organised by the ‘Udbigno Nagarik Samaj’ (Concerned Civil Society) which called for a constitutional amendment to balance the powers of president and prime minister and suggested a commission to work that out. "These people are not considering the adverse effect of such suggestions," said Hasina, according to a news agency---Aminul.