Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said she did not think that drives against corruption would hamper the image of her government, reiterating commitment to pursue the "zero tolerance" policy to wipe out corruption from the country, reports BSS.

"I will not spare corrupt people no matter whoever they are or whatever position they have as I started the drives against corruption. I even don't consider who are close or who are not. I must execute the "zero tolerance policy" against the corruption," she said.

The Prime Minister said the people knew about corruption in different sectors as her government has taken tougher stance against corruption.

"No one in the past had conducted drives in such way against corruption," she said.

The Prime Minister said they have earlier pledged to stamp out militancy from the country through pursuing the "zero tolerance policy" against the militancy.

"We have done it successfully. Now, we are taking measures against the corruption and it will continue till wiping out the menace," she said.

She continued: "I don't believe that the image of my government will be damaged due to taking action against corruption."

To this end, she said one of her peons made Tk 400 crore through corruption and she took action against him.

The Prime Minister said her responsibility is to take the country into a dignified position by removing all the irregularities.

The trial of some corruption cases have also been criticized although he committed grafts and misappropriated money of workers, she said without mentioning the name of Dr Muhammad Yunus.

Sheikh Hasina said the government has nothing to do over the issue of quota in public service until a solution comes from the court.

“The executive has nothing to do right at the moment when the higher court or the court passes a judgment. The issue of the court will have to be solved in the court,” she said.

The Premier came down heavily on the anti-quota protesters, saying that they are waging the movement without knowing the law and the construction and violating the court order.

She said they even have no idea about how a government runs.

“Yes, they are meritorious, but they will have to have ideas about these matters,” she added.

She said the court also has given them (protesters) scopes to raise their arguments in the court, but they want to solve the issue on the streets.

“Since the issue has gone to the court and the court passed a judgment, I’ve no right to stand against the judgment right now and the constitution also doesn’t allow me to do so,” she said.

“We’ve nothing to do here until it is solved in court. It is the reality. They’ll have to accept this reality. Otherwise, we’ve nothing to do and they will continue their movement (without any result),” she said.

She, however, warned the protesters that any destructive activities won’t be tolerated in the name of movement.

“They will not be allowed to do any destructive act. No one says anything as long as they continue their peaceful movement. But if they go for anything else like attacking police and their vehicles or other things, the law will take its own course," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government had abolished the quota system in the government jobs following the 2018 movement to see its consequences.

“We abolished the quota system when the movement was waged against it. But what result of this abolishment is found today?” she said.

The result of the abolishment of quota is that only two females in the last BCS examination qualified for foreign service while four females for police cadre, she said, referring to women’s participation in 2018 movement.

About the district-wise quota system in the government jobs, she said some districts are being deprived of abolishment of the quota system.

Not a single person got job in police service from 23 districts in a BCS examination, she noted.

"The marginalized community people also have the right to get jobs," she said.

The Prime Minister criticized the protesters who are insulting the freedom fighters, saying, “Why do they have so much anger against the freedom fighters?”

Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan