Gazipur: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday directed the members of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP to remain ready for holding the next elections in a free and peaceful manner.

‘We want the next elections be more peaceful. So every member of the Ansar and VDP will have to stay always ready so that the people can exercise their voting rights, which are their fundamental and constitutional rights,’ she told the 38th National Rally of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) at its academy here this morning.

The premier added: ‘You (Ansar and VDP members) will have to give attention properly to this end.’

On the occasion, the prime minister inspected a spectacular parade of smartly-turned out contingent of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP riding on an open jeep and took salute.

The premier said the Ansar and VDP is a disciplined force. ‘So you will have to maintain law and order of the country at any cost,’ she also told the Ansar and VDP members.

Mentioning that the Ansar and VDP is a dependable part of the government, she said members of the force are playing an important role in keeping the youths away from terrorism and militancy.

In this connection, Sheikh Hasina reiterated her call to the cross section of people including teachers, guardians and religious teachers to remain alert so that their children don’t get involved in militancy, terrorism and drug addiction.

‘We will keep up the trend of development that we initiated by freeing the country from terrorism and militancy Insha Allah,’ she said.

Pointing out that the evil forces always try to destabilise the country by resorting to terrorism and militancy and carrying out arson attacks, the premier said there will be no place for terrorism and militancy on the soil of Bangladesh.

In this regard, she thanked the Ansar and VDP members to play a strong role in resisting the rampage and violence of the BNP-Jamaat nexus from 2013 to 2015.

Stating that stable political and economic environment is a pre-requisite to the country’s overall development, the prime minister also suggested the Ansar and VDP members to work with honesty, courage and sincerity to defeat the evil forces to maintain law and order.

‘Keep in mind that you’ve taken a holy oath of ensuring security of the people and investment and maintaining a peaceful atmosphere ... you’ll have to perform the sacred responsibility properly for ensuring public security that remained reposed on you,’ she said.