DHAKA, Feb 9, 2020 (BSS) – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said opposition alliance Jatiya Oikya Front and BNP virtually emerged as fallen political forces as they tried to drag down the government.
“They wanted to drag down the government to the street (but) in reality, they have fallen to the street,” Hasan said on the sidelines of a Bangladesh sangbad Sangstha (BSS) function at the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) in the capital.
He was particularly critical of Oikya Front convenor and Ganaforum leader Dr Kamal Hossain and BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for their comments in separate programmes coinciding with the completion of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s two years of imprisonment.
“Dr Kamal Hossain said ‘the government will be dragged down to the street’ . . . I would like to say with due respect to him that his comments were contradictory to his stature,” Hasan said, acknowledging Hossain as one of country’s most prominent lawyers.
“I (rather) want to urge Dr Kamal to pay attention to keep the unity of his own party,” said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
The minister also criticized Alamgir for repeatedly asking the government to release Khaleda Zia, saying it tantamount to care a fig to the judicial authority.
“The government does not have any authority to free Khaleda Zia . . . if it had such authority, the honorable Prime Minister would have to discharge duties as the chief justice while the constitution does not allow,” Hasan said.
He reiterated that legal means were only path to release Khaleda Zia from jail.
BSS Infotainment Service of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and Amar Bari Amar Khamar Prokalpo of Rural Development and Co-operatives Division (RDCD) organized the two-day long training for the representatives of BSS of three divisions in collaboration with PIB.
Information secretary Begum Kamrun Nahar, RDCD secretary Md Rezaul Ahsan and Dhaka University former vice chancellor Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique, addressed the inaugural session as special guests with BSS Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad in the chair.