Urging all to remain alert against the kingpins of the August 21 grenade attack, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Thursday said the plotters who tried to kill Awami League President and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina throwing grenades are still hatching conspiracies.
“The conspirators who had failed to face Bangabandhu politically killed him (Bangabandhu) brutally on August 15, 1975. Today those who have failed to face Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina choose the path of conspiracy,” he said.
The information minister was addressing a program for cheque-distribution amongst journalists of four districts, who had fallen into deep crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic at the Zilla Parishad auditorium in Sylhet.
Hasan said the conspirators who did not want the independence of the country and who had failed to face Bangabandhu politically, killed Bangabandhu. “Grenades were hurled like drops of rain to kill his [Bangabandhu’s] worthy daughter Sheikh Hasina on August 21. Those conspirators are still hatching conspiracies. So, we have to remain alert against them.”
Urging the journalists to remain alert too, the information minister said the journalists’ community should be more vocal against those out to hatch conspiracies against the country and its economic development and to destroy the spirit of the Liberation War and the communal harmony as well.
He said Bangabandhu’s worthy daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has shown her magical leadership in changing the country’s development landscape.
The ability of the premier to deal with the coronavirus is really praiseworthy, he added.
He said the premier has been working relentlessly in combating the Covid-19 situation for the last five and a half months, and she (the PM) scarcely took rest during this time.
The prime minister also combated the natural disasters like flood and cyclone well at the same time, said Hasan, also the Awami League joint general secretary.
He said many said that thousands of people would die due to coronavirus and corpses will be lying on roads and streets.
“But, the reality is that not a single man died from starvation. And, Bangladesh is one of those countries where the death rate in coronavirus cases is lower. The death rate ranges from 1.25% to 1.30% which is lower than neighbouring countries- India and Pakistan,” he added
The information minister said this has been possible due to the magical leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Even, the export has been increased in July, which is 13% more from July of the last year, he said, adding that all have become possible due to proper leadership and right decision of the premier.
Terming the mass media as the fourth organ of the state, Hasan said the government support is being provided to all journalists irrespective of opinions and party affiliations.
The present government is working for the welfare of the journalists, he added.
He lauded the role of the journalists’ community amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Hasan said the government welcomes constructive criticism as any multi-dimensional social system will be ruined if criticism is not allowed.
Hasan, however, said criticism should be objective instead of blind.
Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet M Kazi Emdadul Islam presided over the meeting while Deputy Director of District Information Office Juliya Jesmin Mili conducted it.
Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) President Molla Jalal, Secretary General Shaban Mahmud, Awami League Sylhet city unit President freedom fighter Mashuk Uddin Ahmed, General Secretary Jakir Hossain, Awami League Sylhet district unit General Secretary Nasir Uddin Khan, Sylhet district Press Club President Taposh Das Purkaystho and Sylhet Press Club President Iqbal Siddique, among others, addressed the function.
Later, the information minister distributed cheques among the journalists.
Earlier, the information minister visited Sylhet Betar Kendra.
At a discussion, during the visit, Hasan said Betar can play a significant role in building the nation.
“Betar can play a pivotal role in building the nation through broadcasting different programs including entertainment ones.”
He said that the programs which are transmitted by the radio can protect the youths from falling prey to moral degradation and also can motivate them to do good jobs and make people more aware of hygiene and protection of the environment.
The information minister said the Betar, as well as the mass media, can play a significant role in protecting the agricultural land as the country’s arable land is shrinking day by day due to the unconsciousness of the people.
The rural people still have an attraction to programs transmitted by the Betar, he said. Particularly, the Betar’s programs on agriculture are very much popular to all, Hasan added.
The information minister said the government has taken a Tk56 crore project for the development of Sylhet Betar, and the station will be more modern after completion of the work.
Expressing his hope to launch a TV station in Sylhet by next year, he said necessary steps have already been taken to this end.
Deputy Commissioner M Quazi Emadul Islam, Regional Director of Sylhet Betar M Fakhrul Islam, Awami League Organizing Secretary Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, Sylhet city Awami League President Masuk Uddin Ahmed, Sylhet district Awami League General Secretary Advocate Nasir Uddin Khan, Sylhet city Awami League General Secretary Prof Zakir Hossen, Sylhet Press Club General Secretary Abdur Rashid Benu and media personnel, among others, attended the event.
