Seize property of those torching land offices: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked law enforcement agencies to seize all land properties of those to be found guilty of torching land offices.

"All of their fathers' and grandfathers' land property will be seized... they cannot be the owners of any land, they'll be living in their respective areas, but they won't have any land of their own," she said.

Hasina made the remarks while speaking at a function marking the 40th founding anniversary of the Islamic Foundation Bangladesh.

The PM also said criminals belonging to BNP-Jamaat alliance were setting fire to land offices in districts and upazilas."What is the reason behind burning the documents of land offices?" she questioned.

In this connection, she mentioned that her government had already directed the intelligence agency to identify the culprits behind such incidents.

Hasina, also chief of the ruling Awami League, urged the Aleem-Ulema to put up a strong resistance against the anti-Islamic activities of the BNP-Jamaat as their misdeeds were damaging the religion's image globally.

Islam is the religion of peace and there is no place for subversive acts, terrorism and militancy in it, she said.

The PM also urged the Islamic scholars to come forward to create awareness among religious-minded people against militancy, and thus establish a safe Bangladesh for future generation.

When the government is working for Islam's welfare, the BNP-Jamaat alliance is creating anarchy in the name of religion using very simple pious people, Hasina said.

They have been calling hartal and blockade programmes without any reason and burning people, including children and expectant mothers, to death.

People are now not responding to BNP-Jamaat's call as they realised the politics of fraud and falsehood in the name of Islam, she told her audience.

Referring to her stance against terrorism and militancy, Hasina mentioned that she was highly vocal at a meeting with world leaders in Milan last year, saying there was no relation between Islam and terrorism.

The PM further said her government had been working to set up at least one modern and model mosque in every upazila and district.

There will be an Islamic Foundation Bhaban in the mosque complex alongside, separate space for women to offer their prayers.

The government will appoint at least one teacher of religious subject in every school to groom students, Hasina told the function at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.