Food Minister Advocate Quamrul Islam on Saturday said that terrorists and militants in Bangladesh will be eliminated in the way action has been taken worldwide against terrorists and militants.
"Our stance is clear, there is no alternative left but to root out terrorists and militants from the sacred soil of Bangladesh," the minister said.
Quamrul Islam said this while speaking at a meeting of Dhaka City 14-party alliance at the central office of Workers' Party at Topkhana Road in the city.
Dhaka City Workers' Party general secretary Abul Hossain presided over the meeting, also addressed, among others, by Dhaka City AL general secretary and Relief and Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya (Bir Bikram), vice-president Mukul Chowdhury, Samyabadi Dal general secretary Dilip Barua, Workers' Party politburo member Kamrul Ahsan, Dhaka City AL organising secretary Shahe Alam Murad and office secretary Shahidul Islam Milon.
Quamrul Islam said, "The back of the people has dashed to the wall now. No talks with those terrorists. They (BNP-Jamaat combine) want to realise their demands by exerting pressure and killing innocent people. It can't be accepted. The terrorists and militants will be eliminated from Bangladesh following the similar way the terrorists are being eliminated round the world."
Calling upon the BNP leadership to stop terrorist activities once and for all, the minister said, "Stop killing people and terrorism immediately. Then, talks may be held with you."
Criticising the incidents of torching of buses at many places in the country, Quamrul Islam said, "I have no words to express condemnation over the Friday night's incident of torching a bus at Jatrabari in the capital.  After this, I presume, people of the country would build resistance against such barbaric acts."
Urging the leaders-workers of the 14-party alliance to build united resistance against those who hurl bombs, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said, "BNP is a shadow party of Pakistan and a new version of IS (Islamic States). Khaleda Zia is its leader (chairperson) and Tarique Rahman is its main leader. Tarique Rahman has been indulging in anti-state and anti-constitutional activities staying abroad. So, united resistance should be built against terrorists."
The AL leader said, "Khaleda has been killing people in the style General Yahya Khan massacred people in 1971. She has now taken the face-look of a witch after killing people. This witch should be bidden last farewell from politics in a move along with people."
At the outset of the meeting, one-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to former presidium member of Awami League Dr Mohammad Selim, who breathed his last in London recently, and martyrs of mass upsurge movement of 1969.    ?BSS