Brushing BNP aside, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said BNP is now busy in spreading rumour and creating confusion among the countrymen as the party has politically failed to play its due role as an opposition party.
“An opposition party has also responsibility and liability towards the people like the government. It is very unfortunate that without playing their due role, BNP created confusion among the people and spread rumour,” he told newsmen at his office at Secretariat here.
Replying to a query, the minister said Awami League doesn’t believe in counter programmes. “We are working relentlessly for the people. But, they (BNP) spread rumours over COVID-19 situation and even they didn’t stand beside the countrymen during the pandemic. They are busy with doing ill politics,” he added.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been efficiently running the government for 12 years, he said, adding thus, the country has been turned into a middle-income nation in the year of golden jubilee of independence and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Criticising a comment of BNP secretary general, Hasan said, “We as well as the countrymen get joke from the comments of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as he can talk untrue frequently. With due respect, I would like to say that if there is any award for telling lies, he (Mirza Fakhrul) would get the award definitely.” The minister said Mirza Fakhrul has personally attacked general secretary of Awami League, which is not appropriate.
“There will be criticism in the politics and they (BNP) will criticise the government and the political activities of AL . …And it is normal. I hope that they would not criticise anyone personally,” said Hasan, also AL joint general secretary.
Earlier, the minister exchanged views with Algeria Ambassador to Bangladesh Rabah Larbi at his office.
About the meeting, Hasan said Algeria is one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh as an independent nation. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman visited Algeria in 1973, he added.
The minister said the then Algeria President Humedin came to Dhaka in 1974 and took Bangabandhu with him to attend the OIC conference held in Lahore.
“But, Bangabandhu then gave a condition to join the conference that Pakistan must recognise Bangladesh as an independent state,” he said, adding Bangabandhu joined the OIC conference after the recognition from Pakistan.
In the meeting, they discussed about business including exporting Bangladeshi garment items, medicine, jute products and skilled manpower.
