Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said yesterday that there were planned move to ruin the country's garment sector by creating unrest in the industry and suspected "a third evil force" behind the recent vandalism and arson.

"We are getting some information in this connection and the investigation is continuing," she said in the Jatiya Sangsad during her scheduled weekly question-answer session. The Prime Minister also informed AL legislator Golam Dastagir Gazi that the government would raise the Industrial Police Force soon to give protection to industries, their owners and workers. In this connection she pointed out that one of the reasons for recent garment sector violence was over the 'jhut' (waste items) business but she claimed that the government's timely action had helped contain the violence from spreading.

Sheikh Hasina said she believed the workers should not always be blamed for the skirmishes and tragic incidents in the garment sector. "How could the workers torch their own places of work", she asked and said there must be a third evil force behind all the unfortunate incidents in the sector. The Prime Minister sought cooperation of the workers to contain such unfortunate incidents in the sector and said her government was pledge-bound to contain such anti-state activities at any cost.

She also urged the owners and workers to remain vigilant and exercise their conscience so that recurrence of such incidents could be stopped together. Sheikh Hasina also said that such unfortunate incidents were taking place for the lack of coordination among the intelligence agencies. But she informed the House that the PM's office had already taken initiatives centrally to ensure better coordination in intelligence and law enforcing agencies to curb the unrest in industrial sector.

Replying to a question of Jatiya Party MP Begum Roushan Ershad, the Prime Minister also said the strength of women police would be increased to ensure security to female garment workers. She told lawmaker SK Abu Baker that corruption cannot bread democratic system. Corruption usually escalates under military rule, she said adding that if we can ensure accountability, transparency and consistency between income and expenditure, corruption can be contained. She said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was constituted so that it can work independently.

Referring to activities of an all-party parliamentary probe committee investigating the alleged corruption of the eighth parliament, she, however, said a parliamentary committee could be formed to investigate all sorts of allegations regarding corruption as they are the elected people's representatives. The Prime Minister said her government has taken various initiatives to maintain the law and order situation across the country.

Instructions have already been given to the law enforcing agencies to work with complete independence and with professionalism. Besides, the drive for recovery of illegal arms and arrest of criminals and terrorists as well as filing of cases against them have also been continuing, she said. She recalled that ECNEC has already approved establishment of the ˜National Crime Prevention and Monitoring Centre to contain the overall crime situation.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has also taken initiative to strengthening the police force by enhancing its existing manpower. Besides, she said the US-trained Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) team has been working to ensure protection to life and property. The community policing programme is working successfully involving the people for containing crimes, she said and hoped the people will derive its fruits soon.

Replying to a question of AL lawmaker Begum Tahura Ali, she said after constituting the government, the Awami League government has taken initiative to complete the Independence Monument at Suhrawardy Udyan where on March 7 in 1971 Bangabandhu delivered his historic speech for the country's independence. It was at the same place that the occupation Pakistani Army surrendered on December 16 same year after a nine-month-old bloody war.

The Prime Minister added that the project would highlight the supreme sacrifices of millions of people in the war of liberation in 1971 and the project work include construction of a 150-feet high glass tower, open pucca terrace, underground museum depicting the history and tradition of the country with mural paintings, a beautiful fountain, open stage, planned gardens and auditorium and service centre.

To a supplementary raised by chief whip of the House Vice-principal Abdus Shaheed, the Prime Minister said, the government has no plan to shift the grave of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Sangsad Bhaban Complex from his ancestral home at Gopalganj as the memories and history relating to the war of independence would be preserved at the Independence Monument at Suhrawary Udyan in the city. Bangabandhu is sleeping on his mother's lap at Tungipara in Gopalganj district, she added.

-The Independent