Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today sought help from the United Nations in holding trial of the war criminals as she said prosecuting them has become a national demand.

As the government initiated a move to try war criminals, the prime minister made the request Renata Lok Dessallien, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Coordinator in Bangladesh, who called on her at her office.

“Prosecuting the war criminals has become a national demand and we have included the issue in our election manifesto,” Hasina, whose Awami League and allies won a thumping majority in the December 29 general election, told the UN country chief.

Renata suggested that the government studies how other countries across the world handled the issue of war criminals so that Bangladesh can avoid any “unfortunate” experiences.

Hasina and Renata also discussed role of local government for sustainable development in the grassroots level, now that election to the most functional local body-upazila parishad, has also been held after the lapse of nearly two decades and the question of coordination between the lawmakers and the local executives arose in all circles.

The PM said in the upazila system, the parliament members should have some role in its activities for the welfare of the people as well as overall development of the country.

Sheikh Hasina also sought UNDP assistance in imparting training to the new Members of Parliament for making the parliamentary system more effective, as a substantial number of them are young debutants.

About the post of deputy speaker from the major opposition party in the House, she said the opposition did not propose a candidate for the post before the election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker according to the Rules of Business. “We can not propose on behalf of them,” said the Prime Minister.

About post-poll incidents she said that, from the very first day after the election, her party leaders and activists had been asked to show restraint and not to take the law into their own hands.

She however pointed out that during the rule of the 4-party alliance government, her party leaders and workers were subjected to inhuman torture and repression.

As such, “It was very difficult for me to keep them calm. But they obeyed my order and did not go for reprisal,” the prime minister informed the UN coordinator.

Dessallien stressed reconciliation among political parties through bringing qualitative changes. “It would be very challenging for the new government to bring back the pace of development as the country was under an undemocratic government for long,” she remarked.

In response, the prime minister said it would not be that difficult for the government as her government believes in the strength of the people who are the source of all power. She is confident about carrying out development on all socio-economic fronts.

In this context, she referred to the 1996-2001 tenure of her Awami League government and said despite consecutive hartals by the opposition, her government had achieved a tremendous success in developing the country in all sectors.

Prime Minister’s Office Secretary Kazi Aminul Islam and Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad were present.