BNP leaders including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir have lost train of thoughts after seeing some hundreds of people, not thousands, at various rallies, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud.
He made the statement while talking to the reporters at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
When the reporters drew attention to the BNP secretary general's remark (People don't want Awami League) after holding rallies in 32 districts, the minister said, “BNP leaders were actually used to seeing some hundreds of people in front of the party office of Naya Paltan for years. Now in their rallies in different districts we have seen that they have ruined their own rallies by fighting.”
“The people of Bangladesh are with Awami League, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the government. They (BNP) will be able to realize that in the election,” he added.
Earlier, the minister attended a meeting with the Television and Digital Program Producers’ Association of Bangladesh (Telepab) in the conference room of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
After the meeting, the minister answered various questions of the journalists.
In response to a question about the dismissal of independent mayoral candidate Taimur Alam Khandaker from the post of advisor to the BNP chairperson, Hasan Mahmud said, “BNP has realized that there is no possibility of Taimur Alam Khandaker's victory. They are trying to get rid of the shame of defeat by dismissing him from various position.”
Regarding the founding anniversary of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said, “Chhatra League was formed on January 4, 1948, one year before the formation of Awami League. The contribution of Chhatra League from the movement for freedom during the liberation war will be written in golden letters in the history of the nation. Chhatra League has played a role in the formation of the country at the call of Bangabandhu even after the country gained independence. My expectation from Chhatra League is that they would play a role in bringing the country closer to the dream of Bangabandhu. No intruder should be allowed to enter the Chhatra League to defame it. I urge those who try to tarnish the image of the Chhatra League over trivial issues to avoid such a mentality.”
In response to the BNP's negative remarks about the dialogue on the formation of the Election Commission, Dr Hasan Mahmud said, “There was no obligation on the President to hold a dialogue. He is holding the dialogue with various political parties to make the process of forming Election Commission transparent. Whatever BNP is saying can also be told by meeting the President. But instead of doing so, they are constantly spreading confusion outside, proving that they do not believe in democratic norms.”
In response to questions about the Mass Media Employees law, he said, “Under the leadership of BNP, media workers were made laborers. It was necessary to abolish it. It has been abolished under this law. The law has been drafted keeping in view all the issues that have been discussed with the leaders of the journalist community. However, if anyone has any questions after that, it can be raised in the parliamentary committee. If the parliamentary committee wants, corrections can be made.”
Addressing the drama producers, Dr Hasan Mahmud said television is a medium which has a huge impact on people.
“Therefore, when you make a drama, telefilm or other programme, we request you to keep in mind the goal of building a developed nation.”
The Information and Broadcasting Minister highlighted the successful role of the ministry in promoting the country's art, culture and media by implementing ad-free or clean feed broadcasts of foreign channels, scheduling local TV channels on cable networks, launching Bangladesh Television across India and imposing tax on the participation of foreign artists in local commercials.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry Khadija Begum, Telepab President Iresh Jaker, General Secretary Saju Montaser, Vice Presidents Sajjad Hossain Dodul, Zahir Ahmed, Ansarul Alam Lincoln, Office Secretary AKM Nahidul Islam Niazi and Sports and Culture Secretary Mohammad Ashraful Alam Bablu were present there, among others.