DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday categorically said BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia must face penalty once for killing people across the country.

The premier, also the president of ruling Awami League, came up with remark while addressing a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan, where Bangabandhu delivered his epoch-making independence speech on the day in 1971.

Addressing the rally to mark the historic March 7, Sheikh Hasina said, “The BNP chief is killing people in the country in petrol bomb attacks in name of hartal-blockade. She would have to face punishment for murders.

Alleging that terrorist groups, being instructed by Khaleda Zia, burnt scores of people to death across the country, PM Hasina warned of the BNP chief saying, “You (Khaleda Zia) will give an answer for such cruelty and have to face trial one day.”

The ruling Awami League (AL) has begun its rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on Saturday to mark the historic March 7.

The rally started at 3:15pm with recitation from holy books of different religions with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the president of AL, in the chair.

Top leaders of Awami League-led 14-party alliance attended the rally.

On March 7, 1971, Bangabandhu, in his 19-minute speech from 4.23pm before a million freedom-loving people of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, Bangabandhu in unequivocal term said, “We had spilled bloods...we are ready to shed more bloods, the people of the country shall be freed Inshallah!”

The great leader of the Bangalees went on to add: “The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the struggle this time is for our independence.”

The tantalizing speech of Bangabandhu literally had a mesmerizing and sparkling effect on the entire population in the eastern part of Pakistan and they became united under his capable and farsighted leadership to bravely fight for liberating the motherland from the clutches of the Pakistani forces.

** AL rally at Suhrawardy begins

BDST: 1911 HRS, MAR 7, 2015