Arafat urges journalists to highlight good initiatives of Chhatra League

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat today urged newsmen to prominently highlight the good and constructive initiatives of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) to inspire the next generations to think well.

"There are thousands of BCL activists across the country. There is no problem anywhere, but when any untoward incident takes place in an isolated form, it is given coverage widely (on newspapers)," he said.

The state minister added: "(Therefore) I urge the media people to prominently publicize the BCL‍‍`s good and constructive initiatives. It will help the next generations to think well."

Arafat was addressing the inaugural ceremony of BCL‍‍`s Inter University Indoor Cricket-2024 as the chief guest at Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium in the city‍‍`s Mirpur area this afternoon.

Bangladesh Awami League Office Secretary and Prime Minister‍‍`s Special Assistant Barrister Biplab Barua inaugurated the sport with BCL President Saddam Hossain in the chair.

BCL is organizing the cricket event with the slogan "We will surely stop drug abuse, child marriage and dowry and build tomorrow‍‍`s Smart Bangladesh".

Noting that many people try to make BCL controversial over astray incidents, Arafat said, "We know and can understand who try to create controversy as the roots of communal and evil forces still exist in the country".

As BCL is the great obstacle against the militancy and fundamentalism across the country including every university, the state minister said, so if it is possible to tarnish image of BCL, the path of militancy and communalism can be widened.

"That‍‍`s why many people try to tarnish the image of Chhatra League," Arafat said.

Appreciating the BCL for organizing such sports competition involving 64 universities from across the country, he urged the ruling party‍‍`s students‍‍` wing to take such programmes across the country.

"It is undoubtedly an excellent initiative to convey a constructive message to the society against the dowry, drug abuse and child marriage," he said, adding that through their works, including organizing different programmes like sports and cultural events, BCL should prove that Father of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman himself was the founder of this organization.

Lawmaker Ferdous Ahmed, Cumilla Victorians Chairperson Nafisa Kamal and Bangladesh Women‍‍`s Cricket Team Captain Nigar Sultana Joty spoke as special guest at the function while BCL General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan gave welcome address.

Later, the trophy of the cricket tournament was unveiled.