DHAKA, Nov 22, 2020 (BSS)- Condemning the bus torching incident, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said people also demand actions against those who are hiding the criminals involved in the arson attack on bus.
“The vehicles were set on fire suddenly on November 12 like 2013, 2014 and 2015’s petrol bomb attacks,” he told newsmen at the meeting room of his ministry at Secretariat in the capital.
Earlier, the information minister addressed a calf- distribution function among the members of ethnic group at Ranguniyaupazila of Chattogram through online.
RanguniyaUpazilaNirbahi Officer MdMasudur Rahman and upazila livestock officer Muhammad Mustafa Kamal also addressed the function from Ranguniya.
Hasan said all the senior BNP leaders, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, have denied the allegations and are spreading falsehood. But, they say nothing against the culprits who belong to their party, also about taking action against them, he added.
He said BNP is trying to hide the culprits, who come from their party, through spreading falsehood. The persons who are trying to hide the culprits and patronising them are also criminals in the eyes of law, the information minister added.
He said, “You all know that many were arrested by seeing video footage and recently some Jubo Dal and Chatthra Dal activists were also arrested. And they have confessed that the plan was made in Bananiand also about source of money.”
“Now, what Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgirwill say after the confession?,” Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, questioned.
The information minister said the persons who are trying to hide and protect the culprits through spreading falsehood are also criminals like those who carried out the arson attack. The masses are demanding to take actions against them also, he added.
Replying to another query on Mirza Fakhrul’s comment over the history of independence, Hasan said the history of independence has been distorted for long 21 years after August 15, 1975.“Attempts had been made to brand the villains of independence as heroes. The distorted history of independence was spread to the new generation and an attempt made to mislead them,” he said.
He said the distortion stopped after Bangabandhu’s worthy daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina got the responsibility of running the state with the verdict of the people.
He said the history of independence was distorted again after 2001. “Not only distortion, many TV footages were destroyed at that time. Almost all were destroyed from the archives of radio and television so that the new generation may not know the truth,” he added.
Even then, the information minister said, something remained. In fact, the true history of independence is gradually being known by the people of the country and the new generation, he added.
The leaders of the party who celebrate the birthday of the convicted accused by beating the drums, are politically bankrupt, he said.
Replying to a query, Hasan said the protest of ‘GayeshwarBabu’ against the Awami League and the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proves that there is democracy in the country.
He said BNP’s founder Ziaur Rahman captured the power at gunpoint. Democracy was also robbed when Bangabandhu’s killer was elected as the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament in the February 15 election and a flag was hoisted on his car, he added.
He said there is democracy in the country. But, BNP is constantly trying to destroy the democracy, he added.
About national broadcasting act, Hasan said the act is in the law ministry and it will be taken to parliament through Cabinet soon.
The information minister congratulated the High Court and said the trialson money laundering cases will help curb corruption.