Awami League General Secretary, LGRD, and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday expressed apprehension that a fresh conspiracy has started to create a ground for killing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "A special situation and a ground are being created so that the conspirators get a favorable atmosphere to kill Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina," he said while addressing a memorial meeting organized by Bangladesh Awami League marking the seventh anniversary of the grisly grenade attacks on an Awami League rally in Dhaka. He also alleged that some newspapers and electronic media are cooperating to create such a ground by disseminating news exaggeratingly. "Such a ground was created before the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and this time a fresh plot has begun to kill Sheikh Hasina," Ashraful said. The AL general secretary, however, said no conspiracy could be implemented if there is a unity and determination among leaders and workers of the party. Ashraful said there was a design of the murderers to kill all of Bangabandhu's family in 1975. "But our leader (Sheikh Hasina) escaped the carnage by the grace of Allah and then several attempts were made on her life," he mentioned. The LGRD minister said Sheikh Hasina would have to be protected at any cost. "By saving her, verdict of the trial of Bangabandhu Murder Case, 10-truck arms haul case and the trial of war criminals and grenade attacks will have to be completed."
With AL Presidium Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair, the discussion was also addressed by AL Advisory Council Member Suranjit Sengupta, Presidium Members Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun, City AL Acting President MA Aziz and General Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and August 21 grenade victim Nasima Ferdous. AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Nuh-ul-Alam Lenin conducted the discussion held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre. At the outset of the discussion, a documentary on the grisly grenade attacks was screened and a minute's silence observed as a mark of respect to the memories of the grenade carnage victims.

Ashraful called upon the leaders and workers of the party to remain united and alert against the conspiracies, and said efforts are being made to create division among us as the plotters know well that no conspiracy would be successful if AL remains united. "There was a lack of unity and confidence in the party whenever AL became victims of conspiracies," he said, urging the leaders and workers to build a strong unity by forgetting everything. Admitting dilapidated condition of roads and price spiral of essentials, he said the government has been working to repair the roads and control the prices of essentials on an urgent basis. Nevertheless, he said, some newspapers and TV channels are disseminating exaggerating news to create an instable situation in the country. Ashraful said some people are talking about necessity of an Anna Hazare. In this connection, he posed a question, "Are there no democracy, parliament and political leadership in the country; has the nation plunged into corruption? Why we need an Anna Hazare?" He said the masterminds of the 1/11, who tried to kill Sheikh Hasina inside the jail by applying poison and said that she would be finished in jail, are talking about an Anna Hazare. In her presidential speech, Sajeda Chowdhury said whatever conspiracies are hatched, the trial of the August 21 carnage must be held in Bangladesh and none can protect the killers. Suranjit said the perpetrators and masterminds of the August 21 massacre will have to be hanged so that such a heinous crime is not committed further. "This carnage happened through a complete political plan and patronization," he added.