Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday slammed the country’s economic migrants, many of whom are stranded in dire conditions at sea, calling them “mentally sick” and accusing them of hurting the country’s image.
“There is sufficient work for them, still they are leaving the country in such disastrous ways,” Hasina was quoted as saying by the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha news agency – her first comments on the migrant crisis in Southeast Asia.
Calling the boat people “mentally sick” for fleeing in search of jobs, the premier said they “could have better lives in Bangladesh”. “They are tainting Bangladesh’s image in the international arena,” she added.
Hasina called on authorities to halt the flow of migrants and take action against human traffickers. “Along with brokers (of trafficking), punishment will have to be given to those who are moving out of the country illegally,” she was quoted as saying.
“You will have to conduct campaigns so migrants do not give money to brokers for going abroad in illegal ways, they are falling into a trap,” she reportedly told senior labour and employment ministry officials.
The region is currently battling an exodus of boat people fleeing persecution and poverty, with up to 2,000 vulnerable migrants thought to be stranded in the Bay of Bengal, many at the mercy of ruthless people smugglers.
Most are Muslim Rohingya from neighbouring Myanmar, where they are not recognised as citizens but Bangladeshis trying to escape grinding poverty are also among the migrants.
The Bangladeshi PM would never acknowledge that there are twenty million Bangladeshi illegal people living in India. Indians are a soft touch and she knows that as her people.
It''s easy for her in her ivory tower to judge those lower down the food chain for wanting to better their lot in life. The fact that thousands are fleeing the country in search of a better life elsewhere should speak volumes about the way the country is run for the ordinary people. Only recently a man was slaughtered to death in Syhlet for expressing an opinion and two other bloggers promoting free expression were also slayed earlier this year. The current incumbents in power want to silence and eliminate anything that dares to challenge the status quo….
This crisis should speak volumes about her tenure as PM of the country. Instead of judging these poor souls, she should be thinking, what can I do further, as PM, to give hope and prosperity to the people ? She comes across of out of touch and out of reach with the common people and should make way for a younger, educated and articulate leader in step with current global thinking. Alas, this may be long way off and the lucky bangladeshi disapora all over the world feel further disenfranchised about their homeland….
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