Govt itself looks for 35 missing people: Home minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday said the government itself was looking for 35 people who were in the missing list of the human rights organisations.

"We are looking for 35 people, who are involved in arson attacks," he said this, while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar at Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the National Museum in the capital.

Bangladesh Mahila Oikya Parishad organised the seminar on 'Socio-economic status and security of religious minority women in Bangabandhu's Sonar Bengal: Vision 2041' with its president Supria Bhattacharya in the chair. 

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar inaugurated the seminar, while lawmaker Suborna Mustafa and journalist Munni Saha spoke at the seminar.

The minister said, "There are thousands of people talking about disappearance. Then I said to give me the list. Then a list of 76 people was given to me. Later it was found that 10 of them are BNP activists, who are staying at different places. And we are looking for 35 people too, who were involved in arson attacks. Another person was seen in jail."

Stating that there is no such thing as minority in the country, he said that Bangabandhu spoke about the non-communal Bangladesh, adding, "So, here we are all Bangalis, we are moving forward with that spirit."

Replying to a question, the home minister said, "I don't know why you talk about minorities. Here we all live together. So, don't say minority. If we keep saying it, we get hurt. I don't understand minority-majority. I understand that everyone is Bangali. We will move forward together."

Recalling the debt of the blood of three million martyrs of the Liberation War, Kamal said, "We can't say specifically that there is Hindu, Buddhist, Christian or Muslim blood."

He said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came to power in 2008 and talked about women empowerment and gave a roadmap on how they should move forward. 

"As a result, women today are moving forward showing their skills in all fields. We will reach the goal of enlightened Bangladesh by 2041. We cannot move forward without the support of women," the home minister said.