DHAKA, March 3, 2021 (BSS)- Sharply criticizing BNP leaders’ recent comments, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said Bangladesh would have achieved far more success and would go a long way if there had not been any negative politics of BNP.
“The whole world including India and Pakistan realized that Bangladesh is moving ahead. But, you (BNP) could not realize it,” he said, addressing a memorial meeting at an auditorium of Jatiya Press Club (JPC) in the capital.
Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote (BSJ) organized the meeting in memory of its late vice president, eminent actor and Freedom Fighter ATM Shamsuzzaman.
State Minister for Information Dr Murad Hasan addressed the meeting as special guest.
Hasan said, “A news appeared recently that Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir blamed us with doing only factional politics for the last 50 years, and the country didn’t move ahead. I would like to tell him (Mirza Fakhrul) that you used to teach pupils at Dhaka College and you are an educated person though you’ve to tell lies on behalf of BNP. The whole world realized that Bangladesh is moving ahead. But you couldn’t realize it.”
He said the country gets the final recommendation from the United Nations for Bangladesh’s transition to a developing country from least-developed country status.
“The country is food surplus state and the per capita income is now 2069 US dollar which was 600 dollar in 2008 and which is more than India and Pakistan. The foreign currency reserve now stood at 44 billion dollar which is three times more than Pakistan. I’m really astonished that you don’t have the data and information,” he added.
Actually, Bangladesh would go a long way if BNP would not do factional and negative politics, would not patronize militants and would not do politics with anti-liberation forces, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
The minister said Mirza Fakhrul Islam should have told that they (BNP) did not do only factional politics, also did negative politics. The negative politics is an extreme obstacle on way to development and progress, he added.
On the Mushtaq’s death issue, the information minister said anyone’s death in prison is really unexpected and undesirable, and the death of Mushtaq is also unexpected. “I also felt sad over the death. But, it is also more unexpectable of creating unstable situation over the issue,” he added.
Hasan said a probe-body has been formed to find out the reasons behind the death. It will be revealed in the probe report how he died, whether it was a normal death, or whether there was any negligence of the prison authorities, he added.
And the government is determined to take proper steps over the issue, he said, regretting that some people are telling to repeal the act which is baseless as the law is for all.
He said the Digital Security Act (DSA) is for ensuing security to all. “It is for giving security to all including journalists, house wives and professionals. But we are remaining careful in using the act. And it is not acceptable to misuse the act,” he said.
The minister said one (Mushtaq) was in prison under the act and it is under investigation how he died. “But, some are now telling to repeal the act. Many people were arrested through different acts. So, if someone who is arrested under another law dies in prison, should those laws also be scrapped?,” he posed a question.
Hasan said militants and the anti-liberation forces are behind the groups who are trying to create unstable situation. The cultural activists need to be united more against those activities, he added.
Then, he said, the new generation will be protected from the militants.
The information minister paid rich tribute to ATM Shamsuzzaman and said, “I didn’t think that the eminent actor will leave us in this way. He fell sick earlier several times. But, this time the news of his death seemed like a thunderbolt to me.”
He termed the acting of Shamsuzzaman outstanding who had received the National Film Award for five times and life time achievement in 2019. Such artist was not born in Bangladesh more, he said.
The minister said Shamsuzzaman was inspired with the spirit of Bangabandhu and he was one of the artists who was vocal against vandalism and torching of BNP-Jamaat in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Murad paid rich tribute to ATM Shamsuzzaman and extended his thanks to BSJ to organize the memorial meeting.
BSJ vice president Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra artist Rafiqul Alam, AL leaders Advocate Boloram Poddar and MA Karim, BSJ members Tarin, Shahnur, SD Rubel, Shakil Khan, Shamsuzaman’s daughter Koyel Ahmed, Rafiqul Islam and Rassel Ahmed, journalist Sujan Halder, Humayun Kabir Mizi and Samiran Roy, among others, addressed the meeting with its advisor Chitta Ranjan Das in the chair.
BSJ general secretary Arun Sarker Rana conducted it.