Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud at a memorial meeting on Thursday said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman had introduced criminalisation in politics, reports BSS.
“Ziaur Rahman had started criminalisation and business in politics and Tarique Rahman followed the same trend,” he said.
The information minister said, “That’s why BNP turned into a party of terrorist …. If BNP changes its leadership, the party may revive.”
The minister urged the top BNP leaders to change the leadership for reestablishing the party as political one. “Grabbing state power illegally, Ziaur Rahman formed BNP involving criminals … now Tareque is the acting chairman of BNP, who is a big enemy to the country’s democracy.”
Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote aranged the memorial meeting at Jatiya Press Club in the capital, marking the 10th death anniversary of late nuclear scientist Dr MA Wazed Miah, husband of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Speaking as the chief guest, Dr Hasan said when businessmen do politics, they always think of their interest.
“And when criminals control politics, it is quite impossible to remove misdeeds from a society,” he added.
The information minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina commented on the corruption of Hawa Bhaban and Tareque Rahman, but the BNP secretary general termed her comment as a threat to democracy.
In fact, he said, BNP is a big threat to the country’s democracy as Zia hampered democracy by grabbing state power illegally.
About the unity in the BNP-led Oikyafront, the minister said: “Now there is no unity in Oikyafront. Its partners have already started leaving the alliance”.
Dr Hasan, also Awami League publication and publicity secretary, recalled the contribution of late Dr MA Wazed Miah to the nuclear science and the country as well.
Paying homage to Dr Wazed, he said the son-in-law of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was very close to power, but he never showed any interest to power.
Chaired by Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote president Sarah Begum Kobori, the meeting was addressed, among others, by former food minister Adv Quamrul Islam, former home minister Shamsul Hoque Tuku, acting general secretary of Dhaka South Awami League Kamal Chowdhury and Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote general secretary Arun Sarkar Rana.
