SANGSAD BHABAN, Nov 14, 2019 (BSS) – Referring to the two recent train mishaps, Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina today told the parliament that her government will investigate the accidents to determine whether there was any conspiracy or ill motive behind the incidents.
“Investigation into the recent train mishaps will be conducted to confirm whether there was any conspiracy or ill motive behind the incidents. We will take appropriate measures upon completion of the investigation,” she said while delivering her around one hour and five-minute valedictory speech on the fifth session of the 11th Jatiya Sangsad.
The premier added: “We see recurrence of train accidents in winter season. Therefore, we have to look into the matter why it happens.”
Expressing deep shock at the deaths of 16 people and injuries of many people in the train accident at Kasba Upazila of Brahmanbaria early Tuesday, the premier said, “The train mishap took place as its driver failed to see the signal due to fog.”
“We have taken steps to give treatment to the injured people. The injured people are now taking treatment at CMH and other hospitals,” she said.
The premier said one more train mishap has taken place today at Ullapara in Sirajganj fortunately without any casualty but some people were injured.
Soon after the train accident, necessary directives were given to the concerned authority to take prompt measures for recovering the injured people and ensuring their proper treatment.
In this regard, she said that train accidents usually occur during the winter season due to fog, saying “We will see what initiatives could be taken to put an end to it.”
Coming down heavily on the BNP as they had tried to stop the rail communication across the country while in power, she said, “After assuming office we have started reopening the rail communication. We are now repairing the old rail bridges and rail tracks along with establishing new rail lines.”
The prime minister said that she has already given directives to the railways ministry to take more projects to repair the old rail bridges and rail lines.
“We have to appoint more manpower in railways along with repairing the rail lines and bridges to fill up the huge vacuum created by the BNP government,” she said.
She, however, stressed the need for giving training to the railway staff. The prime minister thanked Leader of the Opposition in the House for her constructive criticism on various issues.
But she did not agree with the Opposition Leader of not constructing metro rail and stop rail communications in fear of accidents, saying, “Accident is just an accident. It would not be wise to stop construction of metro rail and train communication in the fear of accidents.”
“Whether would she (Raushan Ershad) stop board on cars as road accidents are taken place frequently?” the premier posed a question.
In this regard, she said, train accidents are taken place in many developed countries including the UK, but they didn’t stop its operation.
The premier said, “We are constructing metro rails to benefit the people. After construction of the metro rail, professionals, students and teachers would be able to reach their destinations timely as it will reduce traffic congestion to a great extent.”
About the initiatives to lower the price hike of onion, Sheikh Hasina said that onions are selling at Taka 45 to 50 per kilogram on open market at different places of the country through TCB.
“Besides, we are importing onion from Egypt and Turkey and find more countries from where onion can import whereas LC has opened for importing 50,000 metric tons of onion,” she said.
The premier said drives have been conducted in many places against hoarding of the onion and found onions are being rotten. But those are not being sent to the market, she added.
In this context, she said, “I have already given directives to the authorities concerned to distribute the onion (which will be imported from different countries) at each district by the TCB.”
Now onion crisis is seen as it is cultivated in one season, she said and added with joy that the researchers have invented the onion which can be cultivated throughout the year.
The premier said that India is now importing onion from abroad to overcome the onion crisis as per kilogram onion is now selling at Rs 100 across the India, she said. The ongoing drive against the adulterated foods will be continued, she added.
About the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP), the premier said, “There are many countries which are building nuclear power plants. India is setting up 3 to 4 nuclear power plants. Electricity can be got at lower price once the power plant is completed.”
Her government, she said, will set up another nuclear power plant at southern region of the country as it largely deprived of electricity.
The premier said they have set to arrange three-tier security measures for the power plant along with giving training to Bangladeshi engineers from Russia and India to make them skilled to deal with the power plants.
She also said the Rampal Power Plant will not affect the Sundarbans as the plant is situated 14 kilometres away from the mangrove forest and the air of the plant will not flow towards the Sundarbans.
An artificial mangrove forest is being developed in the area while initiative has been taken to plant saplings of five laks trees to this end.
The premier said that Russia will take back the wastes to be produced from the nuclear power plant in line with the agreement.
She said 94 percent people have been brought under the electricity coverage as the power generation now stands at 22,562 megawatt.
Sheikh Hasina said her government is taking various measures to increase power generation to light up every homes of the country.
The prime minister said they have increased the salaries from the labourers to teachers and officers by many folds, adding, “No other government has increased the salary to that extent.”
She said that as many as 2,500 educational institutions have been included in the MPO list. The premier vowed to continue the ongoing drives against terrorism, drugs and corruption.
Sheikh Hasina has reiterated of taking punitive action against those who are responsible to create anarchy in the universities in the name of movements against the vice-chancellors.