DHAKA, – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today warned of punitive actions against instigating students to create unrest in public universities reminding all concerned that these institutions of higher studies are run with public money.

“Leading students to a wrong path through provocation and sweet words is unacceptable . . . nobody can allow this,” she said while inaugurating the Bangladesh Jatiya Sramik League’s (BJSL) 13th national council at Suhrawardy Udyan here this afternoon.

In an apparent reference to the current unrest in Jahangirnagar University and other public universities, the premier said if the situation continued the government might stop funding these institutions which would require agitators or their instigators to bear their study expenses.

“The government will stop (giving) all money. Because the public universities are autonomous bodies . . . Why the government will bear their expenses,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina asked those who were waging the movements at the universities for various demands to think that what they would do.

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Munnujan Sufian and AL Labour Affairs Secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj also spoke at the function.

International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country DirectorTuomo Poutiainen, General Secretary of International Trade Union Confederation – Asia Pacific (ITUC AP) Shoya Yoshida and South Asian Regional Trade Union Council General Secretary Laxman Bahadur Basnet addressed the function.

BJSL President Alhaz Sukkur Mahmud presided over the inaugural session of the conference, while its Executive President Fazlul Haque Mantu read out obituary reference and General Secretary Sirajul Islam delivered the welcome address.

Earlier, the prime minister opened the conference by releasing pigeons and balloons in the morning.