DHAKA: Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun Saturday warned that any “anarchy” in the name of hartal would be resisted with an iron hand, as the mainstream opposition prepared to enforce a general strike Sunday.  

“Destructive movement of the opposition BNP through hartal will not be tolerated,” she said at a function held marking the ‘Int’l Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’.

The Department of Narcotics Control organised the function at its Segunbagicha auditorium in the city, as part of the day’s campaigns against the menace.

Criticizing Sunday’s countrywide general strike, called by BNP, the minister also said that government would not go for any compromise on the pivotal task of protecting public life and property.

The ruling government is trying to achieve development in all sectors while the opposition parties are opposing the government’s effort with their movement, she added.

Sahara made a last-minute call for the BNP to call off hartal and join parliament by withdrawing from the street.

Present at the function, among others, were Shamsul Haq Tuku, State Minister for Home Affairs, and Everest conqueror Musa Ibrahim.

Speaking as a special guest, Tuku said the opposition party called hartal on “illogical grounds”.

He said that Bhola by-election and the recent Chittagong City Corporation polls were fair and credible under this political government and no previous governments had such an instance.

“The power crisis cannot be a reason for the hartal as the BNP-led alliance government itself created the crisis during its tenure,” he alleged.

Reports have it that the hartal has been called on a number of issues and demands that include ensuring supply of gas, electricity and water, to stop extortion, tender manipulation and grabbing allegedly by the ruling party men, scrapping `anti-nation` agreements signed with India and containing the price hike of essentials.

BDST: 1335 pm, 26 June 2010
MHQ/MMK/MRH/SMS/MUA