Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday termed the slogan, "Who are you? Who am I? Razakar. Razakar." chanted by the anti-quota protesters in the government jobs as "very regrettable" saying, "They don't feel ashamed to call themselves Razakars."
"They didn't know how the Pakistani occupation forces and Razakar Bahini had resorted to torture in the country---they didn't see the inhuman torture and bodies lying on the roads. So, they don't feel ashamed to call themselves Razakar," she said.
The premier said this while addressing the signing ceremony of Annual Performance Agreements (APAs) for the 2024-25 fiscal year staying at her office in the capital city of Dhaka.
She continued: "Our only target is to establish the spirit of the Liberation War. Lakhs of martyrs shed blood as lakhs of our mothers and sisters were violated. We won't forget their contribution. We have to keep it in mind."
The prime minister said her government had taken legal action against the war criminals who were involved in mass killing, looting, violation of women, forming Razakar Bahini and Peace Committee and giving the Bahinis firearms.
"Many of them were hanged following the trials and thus the repressed people got justice," she said. The premier said it was the most unfortunate to hear the slogan from the girls that they are Razakars despite the fact that the women were badly violated by the Razakars during the War of Liberation in 1971.
Sheikh Hasina said, "I felt sorry when I heard yesterday the students of Ruqayyah Hall calling themselves razakars. Do they know what had taken place there on March 25, 1971? Some 300 girls were killed and 40 girls were raped and taken to the Pakistani camps." Referring to some gruesome incidents carried out by the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971, she said the female students didn't see these oppressions on the streets in 1971.
"So, they don't feel ashamed of calling themselves Razakars," she added.
The premier said it is unfortunate that girls now chant such slogans.
"What country are we in? What spirit do they believe in? What lesson did they learn? What did they learn? It is my question," she added.
Sheikh Hasina said the Liberation War is a matter of pride.
The countrymen left their houses and fought for the independence by risking their lives at a call of the Father of the Nation and achieved the victory, she said.
Even, they who were in Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams Bahini unleashed inhuman torture on the people, she said, adding: "Don't forget it"
"We have to march ahead with the spirit of the Liberation War after taking lesson from it," she said.
"They, who were in power for 21 years after assassination of the Father of the Nation on August 15 in 1975 and afterwards eight years, what they could give the country?", she questioned.
"They didn't able to give anything," she said.
But, she said the pro-liberation force Awami League have changed the country with massive developments in the last 15 years after assuming power time and again.
"Bangladesh is now a changed country in the last 15 years. Bangladesh has reached a dignified position on the global stage," she added.
The prime minister called upon all to play their parts to take the country ahead towards prosperity.
"Let's take the country ahead. This Bangladesh will move ahead. We will move around the world keeping our heads high being a victorious nation through the Liberation War," she said.
At the same function, the APA Award for FY 2022-23 and Integrity Award for FY 2023-24 were distributed among the government offices for excellent performance in APA implementation and rendering services respectively.
