Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday shared an apprehension that the BNP-Jamaat nexus might unleash destructive activities to cripple the economy and hold back the nation's march towards prosperity.
 
"...they (BNP-Jamaat) tried to prevent us from holding the election (January 7), but we held it. Then they thought the election would not be accepted by all, but it was accepted. Finally we formed the government. But I had an apprehension that there would be a strike like this (recent violence)," she said.
 
The premier  was exchanging views with editors and heads of news of various media outlets at a meeting organised by Editors' Guild at her office in the capital.

Hasina mentioned that before and after the election in 2013-14 the BNP-Jmaat clique unleashed arson attacks and killings that left hundreds of people killed and thousands injured. "It was little bit understandable that this (the activities and movement of the students) was a grave conspiracy," she said.
 
But, she said, "I did not want to see any incident which might lead to unwanted situation creating instability in the country." "It was a target to destroy the country's economy," she said. She questioned the level of understanding of the people who supported the recent mayhem designed to cripple country's advancement and prosperity.
 
Hasina, also the chief of Awami League, said that the only goal of the vested quarter is to harm the country's independence and halt the continuation of democracy that Bangladesh has been enjoying for the past 15 years.
 
She reiterated that she never intended to deploy army personnel in the field while the students were there for the sake of their security. "While they (students) declared that they are not involved in the ongoing subversive activities then we called the army," she said.
 
She also said that she did not want to impose curfew as the country has been passing through a democratic environment for 15 years. Hasina requested the people to resist those who have done this harm to the country.
 
"They have destroyed all the structures built for their welfare and livelihood. They have struck all those structures. Who will be the worst sufferer? Of course the mass people will suffer. Now it is the responsibility of the mass people to resist these terrorism and militancy," she said.

She put emphasis on creating mass awareness against the militancy that unleashed the destructive activities. "If the people do not become aware then what could we do or how much we could do alone," she wondered.
 
Awami League chief also mentioned that the targets of this recent mayhem were the Awami League, freedom fighters and pro-liberation forces. Hasina said that when all the demands of the students agitating for quota reformation were accepted why they provided scope to the militants for carrying out such heinous activities.
 
"One day the quota-reform movement activists have to answer to the nation: why they gave such opportunity to them for causing such ruins to the country," she said. PM's press secretary M Nayeemul Islam Khan moderated the programme.