Build country with spirit of Independence: Info minister

Staff Correspondent: Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud criticized BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s comments on the eve of the Independence and National Day, saying the party’s politics were now visibly centred on the issue of releasing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia who was jailed after being convicted in a graft case.

“They rather should have promised today to materialize the dream of freedom fighters. . . I hope they (BNP) will return in positive politics by removing their intention to free Begum Zia from jail,” Hasan added.

The information minister made the criticism while speaking at a discussion held at the Department of Films and Publications (DFP) to mark the Independence and National Day.

The discussion was chaired by DFP Director General Mohammad Ishtaque Hossain.

“Let’s come, we work together to build a developed and prosperous Bangladesh being imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War,” Hasan told the discussion.

“We want constructive criticisms of the mistakes of the government. But blind criticism is undesirable,” he said, adding that the country’s progress now appeared indomitable under the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s dynamic leadership and by now “Bangladesh is a food surplus country”.

“Today, on the Independence Day, we should promise to build a developed, affluent and a non-communal Bangladesh. We’ve to build ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” said Hasan, also the publicity and publication secretary of the ruling Awami League.

The minister said the development of the country would get momentum if BNP, Jatiya Oikyafront and other political parties joined these uplift activities by keeping away their negative politics.

Paying rich tributes to Bangabandhu and most of his family members who were killed on the black night of August 15, 1975, Hasan said the history of Bangladesh and Bangabandhu was tried to wipe out from people’s heart. “But, the conspirators are not able to do it rather they (conspirators) are being wiped out from the history,” he added.

He said Bangladesh is now a role model before the world. The world leaders including the United Nations secretary general, the US president, noble winners and economists are praising the onward development of Bangladesh.

Earlier, a documentary created by the DFP on the Liberation War was screened.

Additional Secretary of the Information Ministry Azharul Haque, Press Information Department Principal Information Officer Md Jakir Hossain and DFP Director SM Golam Kibria, among others, addressed the discussion.


risingbd/Dhaka/Mar 26, 2019/Asad/AI