Dhaka: Asking students to stay away from drugs, militancy and terrorism, Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, also the prime minister, on Tuesday said those who will walk along this wrong path must face tough actions.

"I’ll ask the students to refrain from drug addiction, militancy and terrorism. And tougher actions will be taken against those who will resort to this path," she said while addressing a discussion arranged on the occasion of the reunion of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) at historic Suhrawardy Udyan marking its 69th founding anniversary.

The Prime Minister also urged the students to create awareness against the three social menaces and put up a strong resistance. Addiction to drugs not only ruins one’s life but also an entire family, she added.

Sheikh Hasina said the nuisance of terrorism and militancy is a global problem although there is no place of militancy and terrorism in Islam, the religion of peace. "Islam never allows the killing. The only place of a suicide bomber is the hell. No one can go to the heaven after committing suicide."

Sheikh Hasina, who is also the lifetime member of BCL, said it seems to her strange when she sees students of the English medium walk on the path of militancy. "Why are they on this path?”

She also said the government will take actions against those who are misguiding the country’s softhearted youths, expressing her firm resolve that militancy and terrorism will not be allowed on Bangladesh soil.

Reminding the term ‘education is the backbone of a nation’, the Prime Minister asked the BCL leaders and activists to indulge in education to make them worthy citizens of the country to free it from poverty. “There’ll be student politics, but pursuing education is the prime job of BCL leaders and activists.”

Talking about acquiring wealth, she said education is the biggest wealth for a person. "I and Sheikh Rehana always teach our children this way."

Asking every leader and activist of the BCL to embrace education first, Hasina said, “BCL leaders have to get prepared to run the country and the state."

Coming down heavily on BNP, Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia for patronising and pampering the war criminals while in power, she said they will be tried for this. "Their trial will surely be taken place on the country’s soil.”     

Former BCL leaders Tofail Ahmed and Obaidul Quader also took part in the discussion.

BCL President Saifur Rahman Sohag presided over the discussion conducted by General Secretary SM Jakir Hossain.