DHAKA – The prime minister of Bangladesh has said that the people of thecountry need to punish those who still love Pakistan despite living in anindependent nation, BD News 24 reports.

“The people of Bangladesh must respond to those who have been lost in theirlove for Pakistan. They must be punished. We must make them forget theirlove for Pakistan,” Sheikh Hasinas told an event on Sunday.

“If we cannot do it, we will cease to exist,” she was reported as saying atthe gathering, which was organised by the ruling Awami League at theBangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

The president of the ruling party in Bangladesh was of the opinion that theassassination of founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975 had affected thepeople in the country greatly.

Hasina termed rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) founder Ziaur Rehmanand wife Khaleda Zia ‘lovers of Pakistan’, saying the duo had grabbed powerin the country after the killing of Sheikh Mujeeb.

Hasina scoffed at Zia, noting that the entire history of the countrychanged after 1975 as BNP made an effort to make people forget the eventsof 1971, which was evidence of their love for Pakistan.

Hasina stated that party which came into power after the assassination ofMujeeb did not work for the people.

“They did not want the country to progress. They were implementing theagenda of the Pakistani forces,” she alleged.

“Pakistan would be happy if Bangladesh became a failed state and they(Bangladeshi rulers after 1975) wanted to make Pakistan happy,” she added.

Hasina also mentioned HM Ershad, who came to power after Ziaur Rahman, inher speech. Ershad, the chief of a key ally of the Awami League, now servesas a special envoy of the prime minister.