Headlines
Hasina dismisses possibility of imposing emergency
Dhaka, Feb 5
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina Wednesday ruled out any chances of declaring a state of emergency
though the BNP and its allies were continuing with the violent blockade
for a month.
"Hoping for an emergency rule is daydreaming," she told parliament Wednesday.
"Those
who are dreaming, those who want to lead the country to destruction, we
will never let them do this as long as blood runs through our veins,â€
bdnews24.com quoted her as saying.
"No one has been able to create a situation that calls for emergency," the prime minister noted.
Bangladesh
Nationalist Party (BNP)-led 20-party alliance that called the blockade
Jan 5, has announced that it will press ahead with the agitations until
its demand for a dialogue on a snap general election under a "neutral"
government was held.
At least 50 people have been killed, most of
them burnt to death in petrol bomb attacks targeting vehicles, since
the blockade started. In an attack in Comilla Tuesday, seven people were
burnt alive.
But ruling Awami League leaders maintain the
BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance was trying to pave the way for an
unconstitutional government by creating anarchy in the country.
Hasina
said, "BNP forgets one thing. Some people make phone calls. It's just
coming... Emergency is coming. Why shall we need emergency rule?"
"The law-enforcing agencies are there. We know how to tackle such terrorism. People are with us," she said.