BNP emerges as new occupational force: Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud on Saturday said BNP has emerged as the new occupational force in the country.

"Pakistani occupation forces killed unarmed innocent Bangalees. BNP has also emerged as the new occupational force. They along with the Jamaat killed innocent people through arson attacks and are taking people hostage," he said.

The information minister told reporters after placing wreaths along with Awami League (AL) leaders on the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the city‍‍`s Dhanmondi-32.

Dr Hasan said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had declared the independence of Bangladesh on March 25 from here and led the nation to the struggle of freedom.

He said Bangabandhu had a dream of building a developed country. But he along with most of his family members was killed brutally just after three and a half years of the independence, he added.

The minister said Bangladesh is now marching ahead indomitably to materialise the dream of Bangabandhu under the supervision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

He said Bangladesh has turned into a middle-income country and it has only been possible because of the prudent and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Besides, Bangladesh has turned into a country of food surplus from a country of food deficit, he added.

Bangladesh became 35th largest economy in the world after 14 years under the charismatic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from its 60th position just in 2009. "Bangladesh has witnessed a lot of changes over the years and is still changing under the supervision of Bangabandhu‍‍`s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Even some surveys showed that Bangladesh stood at 31st position in PPP," he said.

Hasan Mahmud said the country would move ahead more if there were no destructive politics of BNP and Jamaat. Their evil design of politics must be eradicated, he continued.

Later, the minister inaugurated a victory rally at Jatiya Press Club (JPC) organised by Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ).

In the inaugural speech, Dr Hasan urged the journalists to hold pen against BNP‍‍`s arson attacks. 

Terming the journalists as the mirror of a society, the minister said BNP is carrying out attacks on people and public transports in the name of movements. BNP is announcing programmes of carrying out arson attacks from hideout in the name of politics, he said.

Subversive activities can never be a part of political programmes, Hasan Mahmud said, urging journalists to hold their pen against the arsonists and
miscreants.

The minister said as many as 32 journalists sustained injuries in BNP attacks on October 28. Out of them, more than 20 reporters were working in the BNP beat for long, he said.

JPC president Farida Yesmin, DUJ general secretary Akther Hossain and vice president Manik Lal Ghosh, among others, addressed the rally with DUJ
president Sohel Haider Chowdhury in the chair.

DUJ former president Quddus Affrad, former general secretaries Azizul Islam Bhuiyan and Sajjad Alam Khan Tapu, among others, were present in the rally while DUJ joint secretary Khairul Alam conducted it.