Hasan Mahmud
BNP creates unrest in region: Hasan Mahmud
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Friday said that BNP is a terrorist party not just in the context of Bangladesh. Through their involvement in the infamous ten-truck weapons smuggling case, they were involved in creating unrest in India as well.
“After forming the government, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced that the government will not let Bangladesh’s soil be used for creating unrest in any neighboring country. That is why all kinds of smuggling including arms smuggling has been completely stopped,” said the minister while exchanging views with media personnel at Chattogram circuit house.
Read more: BNP's allegation over Shaheed Minar incident 'false': Info Minister
“As a government party, our duty is to stand by the people so that no one can destroy the peace of the country. That is why we will hold a peace rally in every district on Saturday and keep a vigilant eye so that no one creates chaos,” Dr Hasan Mahmud said.
Caretaker govt never coming back: Hasan Mahmud
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has dismissed the opposition BNP's principal demand of a non-party government to oversee the next elections, and said that although BNP is now pretending to be a systematic movement, if given the chance it would create anarchy again in the country.
"So Awami League leaders and activists must have to be careful," the minister said at a peace rally organised by the Chittagong Metropolitan Awami League at Andarkilla intersection in the city on Saturday (February 4) afternoon as a chief guest.
He said, "BNP knows that they have no chance to win in the elections, so they have plotted many conspiracies. But no one will be allowed to create any kind of chaos in the country. If anyone tries to create chaos, Awami League will resist them with the people."
Hasan Mahmud, also the joint general secretary of Awami League (AL), said there will be no caretaker or polls-time-neutral government in Bangladesh to oversee national elections again. "There is no caretaker government anywhere in the world except Pakistan. BNP wants to follow Pakistan, but Bangladesh doesn't."
"As per the constitution, a fair and neutral election will be held in the country through the Election Commission under a government elected by people,” he said.
Deputy Minister of Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel and General Secretary of Metropolitan Awami League and former Mayor AJM Nashir Uddin, among others, addressed the rally with acting President of Chittagong Metropolitan Awami League Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury in the chair.
Read more: Caretaker government most suitable system for credible polls: Fakhrul
Caretaker govt system only exists in Pakistan: Information Minister
BNP has realized that they cannot win in the next national election, and that is why they are making excuses for not participating in it, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said today.
“We want to compete with and defeat BNP. However, they will not get the opportunity to cause mayhem as they did in 2014. If they try, the countrymen will throw them into the sea,” he said.
He made the remarks at a press conference held at the AL party office in Rajshahi.
Awami League wants every political party to participate in the elections, he said, adding that the caretaker government system only exists in Pakistan.
Also Read: BNP’s march from Shahjadpur to Malibagh begins
“BNP wants to follow Pakistan, but our electoral process will be similar to that of Australia, India, the United States, and Japan. The election will be held as per the country’s constitution,” the minister said.
The AL leader also said that BNP attempted to destroy democracy during the 2014 national election.
“They burnt down 500 voting centers and killed several election officers,” he added.
The information minister also stated that due to the country's current economic situation, using EVMs (electronic voting machines) in all seats is not possible.
“The Election Commission proposed an approximately one million dollar project to purchase EVMs. However, given the global economic situation, we decided not to proceed with the project,” he said.
Also Read: BNP unveils 4-day march programme in Dhaka from Jan 28
He also said that because elections are held under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission, the government cannot transfer any OC, UNO, or constable after the election date is announced.
Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation and AL presidium member AHM Khairuzzaman Liton and MP Md. Ayen Uddin were also present, among others, at the press conference.
Hike in retail power tariff is less than in developed countries: Info Minister
The electricity tariff in Bangladesh hiked by 5 percent at the retail level is still less than that of many developed countries, said Information Minister Hasan Mahmud on Friday.
A slight increase in electricity tariff is proposed to adjust the subsidy borne by the government, he told the reporters at Rajshahi Circuit House.
“Our government is counting thousands of crores in subsidies for the power sector so that the people do not suffer and can get electricity at a cheap price.”
Rising fuel prices in Europe and the UK are driving electricity rationing, driving up prices. But in Bangladesh, the price has not been increased in that way as the power sector is still dependent on fossil fuels, he said.
Also Read: BNP paying for "imprudent" decisions: Hasan Mahmud
The government has raised the electricity tariff by 5 percent at the retail level that will be effective from January 1.
Now the average tariff for all consumers will go up by Tk0.36 to Tk7.49 from Tk7.13, the Power Division said in a media statement Thursday.
Regarding the prime minister’s rally in Rajshahi on January 29, Hasan said the rally will be in a field, but the whole city will turn into a rally that day. There will be millions of people joining the rally.
“We believe in the power of the people. And they (BNP) believe in conspiracy and the power of arms. So, all evil forces should be eliminated by the power of the people and that should be shown in the rally of Rajshahi on January 29.”
Marking the PM’s rally here, Hasan Mahmud arrived in Rajshahi this morning for an exchange of views with local leaders and a field visit.
Journalists from 13 countries meet Hasan
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud met with 13 journalists from Asia, Europe, and Africa at his office in the capital Monday.
The minister informed them about the overall development of the country, including the mass media. He also replied to their questions.
Journalists from Algeria, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Vietnam are now in Bangladesh at the invitation of the foreign ministry.
They already visited the top tourist spots in Bangladesh and the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar.
Read more: 10 journalists win UNICEF award for outstanding reporting on children’s rights in Bangladesh
AL's V-Day vow: To build fully-developed, Smart Bangladesh by 2041
Information Minister Hasan Mahmud said on Friday that the Victory Day's vow is to build a fully developed country by 2041 and transform Digital Bangladesh into Smart Bangladesh by suppressing all anti-national, anti-independence forces and conspiracies, including BNP.
He was speaking to the reporters after placing a wreath at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the city's Dhanmondi, marking the country’s Victory Day.
Read more: PM releases postage stamp on Victory Day
He also said all the leaders of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, the descendants of who were anti-liberation evil-forces, are engaged in anti-national conspiracy.
“When the country is moving forward, even after five decades of independence, the anti-independence forces are plotting various conspiracies against the country,” Hasan said.
“They (BNP) are giving wrong information about the country to foreigners and are involved in conspiracies at home and abroad.”
Paying respect to the martyrs of the liberation war, Hasan Mahmud said the dreams that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman that led the struggle for the country's independence, could not be realized due to his assassination on August 15, 1975.
Read more: President, PM witness Victory Day parade
Under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter, Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has made incredible progress in the last 14 years on the way to fulfilling the dream of Bangabandhu, he added.
“We graduated into a middle-income country and became self-sufficient in food.”
BNP MPs resigned to impede democracy: Hasan Mahmud
Information Minister Hasan Mahmud has said that the Members of Parliament (MPs) of BNP have resigned with an intention to thwart the democratic system of the country.
The Minister said this while exchanging views with journalists at the conference room of his ministry at the Secretariat on Sunday.
Read more: 5 BNP MPs submit resignation to JS Speaker
“At their rallies, BNP have been continuously asking the government to resign. But now their own MPs have quit. This shows how undemocratic the BNP politicians are. The government or parliament won’t be affected by these resignations,” Hasan said.
Asked about BNP’s rally at Golapbagh, the Minister said that it was nothing compared to political programmes held by the ruling Awami League (AL).
“BNP had said that at least one million people will attend their Dhaka rally. In reality, only 50,000 came. More people attend our small-scale, local political programmes than what BNP was able to manage. By rejecting bigger venues proposed by the government, BNP proved that they don’t believe in their capacity to attract people to their events,” Hasan said.
The Minister added that BNP’s 10-point demand is another plot to create anarchy in the country.
Read more: 5 BNP MPs submit resignation to JS Speaker
“BNP couldn’t come out from their habit of creating terror. BNP’s 10 demands are nothing new, they’re making these demands for a long time. Law enforcement agencies and our party members are ready to thwart any sabotage plan by them,” Hasan added.
BNP wants to hold rally in Nayapaltan with intention to create anarchy: Hasan Mahmud
Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Saturday said that BNP wants to hold its public rally in Dhaka’s Nayapaltan with the intention to create anarchy and an unstable situation in the country.
The minister said this while briefing reporters after visiting the Polo Ground in Chattogram city, on the eve of the public rally to be organized by Awami League’s Chattogram city and Chattogram district north and south units on Sunday.
The Information Minister said, the government has given BNP permission to hold the December 10 rally at Suhrawardy Udyan based on their application.
“But, instead of Suhrawardy Udyan, they want to hold the rally at Nayapaltan, to create anarchy and destabilize the country,” he added.
Also read; Hasan Mahmud to BNP: Don't play with people's lives
Hasan Mahmud said that the government will not allow the “BNP-Jamat nexus to create any situation to destabilize the country.”
Strict action if anyone creates anarchy: Information Minister
Information and Broiadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud has said that the government will take stern actions if the Bangladesh Nationalist Party tries to disrupt peoples’ lives and creates an anarchic situation by blocking important roads during their upcoming divisional rally in Dhaka.
The minister said this while talking to journalists about BNP’s rally at CIRDAP Auditorium of the capital.
“We know that terrorists belonging to BNP are hiding in the city and they’re trying to come out on the occasion of the party’s Dhaka rally. These terrorists are funded, directed and encouraged by those BNP leaders who have a big mouth. The government will take tough measures against them if needed,” said Hasan.
Read: Govt helping BNP to make Dhaka rally a success: Info Minister
Hasan, also the Joint General Secretary of the ruling Awami League (AL), added that BNP’s divisional rally in Cumilla was nothing but a picnic.
“BNP had slaughtered hundreds of cows and arranged a feast in the name of divisional rally in Cumilla. Although many people attended the feast at night, they left on the morning of the rally. Their leader (Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir) has said many things at the rally, including that they will hold their Dhaka rally at Naya Paltan, which will never happen,” Hasan added.
Hasan further said that BNP wants to hold their rally at Naya Paltan from an evil mind.
“The government won’t tolerate any suffering of the people. Naya Paltan is a busy neighborhood and there isn’t any field there. If BNP arrange the rally there, the entire city will be paralyzed. That’s why the government has offered them an open space like the Suhrawardy Udyan. Instead of accepting the offer, Fakhrul is still talking about Naya Paltan with vicious intentions,” Hasan said.
Read: Country can’t be handed over to the patron of terrorists: Info Minister
Earlier, the Minister spoke as chief guest at an anti-smoking seminar held by Development Organization of The Rural Poor (DOAP) at the auditorium.
The event was presided over by DOAP President Md Azahar Ali and moderated by the NGO’s Deputy Executive Director Mohammad Jobayer Hasan. Eminent citizens including bureaucrats, retired army personnel, journalists and social workers attended the event.
BNP to hold rally at Nayapaltan for creating chaos: Hasan Mahmud
Information Minister Hasan Mahmud has said BNP wants to hold their December 10 rally in front of party’s Nayapaltan office fearing poor turnout of people and aiming to create chaos.
Hasan Mahmud made the remark while replying to journalists’ questions at the secretariat on Thursday.
Read more: Govt helping BNP to make Dhaka rally a success: Info Minister
He said BNP already knows that not more than 30 to 50 thousand people will attend their rally. “Even if that’s not the issue they shouldn’t hold a rally blocking a busy road,”he added.
The number of people will not exceed 50,000 if they sit one the one kilometer of Nayapaltan road, said Hasan.
Read more: Country can’t be handed over to the patron of terrorists: Info Minister
The government can give permission for a rally but it cannot permit holding of a rally planned to create chaos, he said.