Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said that no other party except Awami League stood beside the Hindu community after the Cumilla incident.
“Awami League leaders and activists stood beside the Hindu community after the incident of Cumilla but, there was no other party that stood beside them. The social media could not avoid the liability for the situation as the incident was spread through the social media,” he told journalists at his Ministry office in the capital.
Earlier, the minister exchanged views with the leaders of Editors’ Forum in the presence of Information and Broadcasting Secretary Md Mokbul Hossain.
Read more: Sabbia Hossain becomes CPA from Canada
Editors’ Forum Convenor Rafiqul Islam Ratan, Secretary General Faruque Ahmed Talukder, members Dulal Ahmed Chowdhury, Belayet Hossain, Sharif Sahabuddin and Mafizur Rahman and advisor Azizul Islam Bhuiyan, among others, were present on the occasion.
The minister said all leaders and activists at upazila and union levels have been asked to stay at puja mandaps during the Durga Puja as no one can create unstable situations and they were there. “The vested quarter which carried out the incident had a big plan but, they couldn’t do that as our leaders and activists stood beside the Hindu community. Even, the AL leaders and activists brought out peace processions and rallies across the country within a few hours. We remain alert till now,” he added.
The minister said Awami League stands beside the Hindu community but, BNP and its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and even Gayeshwar Chandra Roy only appeared in television channels instead of standing beside the people, he added.
He said they instigated the incident and the plan was made from the other side of the sea. “The government has taken speedy steps. One hundred and two cases were lodged and over 600 people were arrested,” said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
He said the government has also constructed new houses for victims of Pirganj within a few days and every victim's family got over Taka one lakh as assistance. The government has also taken steps to repair the temples which were attacked by the miscreants, he added.
He said the Prime Minister has declared that houses will be made for the victims who have lost their dwellings.
In the view exchange meeting, Hasan said the situation would have not surfaced if the incident was not spread through social media. “The incident of Pirganj was also held due to a post in social media- facebook. They all are responsible who were involved in the incident. The facebook authority is also responsible and they could not avoid the liability”, he added.
Replying to a query over social media, he said the government doesn’t control anything. However, everything should be run judiciously, he added.
Earlier, the minister informed that many irregular daily newspapers were closed and legal actions would be taken against 200 more newspapers which are not being published.
Later, the information and broadcasting minister unwrapped the covers of two books written by senior journalist Azizul Islam Bhuiyan and Jannatul Bakeya Keka.