BNP has been organising big picnics in the name of rally and hence, they are bagging money through extortion, said Information Minister Hasan Mahmud.
He came up with the remark while replying to questions of journalists regarding the BNP rallies at the secretariat on Sunday noon.
“We are seeing the BNP rallies as bigger events of picnic. They gathered in Sylhet three days before the rally, lived there in camp, cooked their own food, played cards—this is a big picnic event. As we organise winter picnics, BNP organised picnic in Sylhet, Cumilla, Mymensingh and Dhaka. And to organise these picnic events they raised fund through extortion across the country. Many traders alleged that, BNP took or attempted to take extortion from them showing intimidation,” Hasan furthered.
Journalists should not do politics, he said.
“BNP held a rally in Sylhet yesterday while Awami League held another rally in Gazipur. In terms of participants, both rallies were participated by same number of people. In fact, the Awami League rally drew more participants that the BNP one. Though BNP’s rally was a divisional event and the AL rally was a district event. However, some media outlets published the AL rally photo focusing stage and the BNP rally focusing the participants. Whether such coverage is just or unjust, this is a question to you all.”
