Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary and Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today dubbed BNP as the main obstacle in the path of democratic progress in the country.
“BNP is the greatest obstacle in the path of democratic progress in the country. It emerged as reality on the International Day of Democracy today,” he said.
The minister added: “Today, BNP is doing everything whatever needed to obstruct the democratic progress and they are the main obstacle towards practicing democratic norms and values”.
He told the inaugural function of the interactive web portal janatarsarkar.gov.bd developed by the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division at a function at Tatya Bhaban here, marking the International Day of Democracy.
State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak presided over the function while lawmaker Naheed Ezaher Khan, Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) Executive Director Ranajit Kumar and senior journalists Masuda Bhatti spoke at the function, among others.
Hasan said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman created the country in exchange of his blood aimed at building a non-communal democratic state.
“But our democratic system stumbled when Father of the Nation was killed with most of his family members on August 15, 1975. And then, Ziaur Rahman first toppled Khandaker Mushtaq and later became the President with the signature of Justice Sayem at gun point,” he said.
Later, Ziaur Rahman formed BNP by assembling crows of politics luring residual power, the AL joint general secretary said, adding that he (Zia) brutally killed hundreds of soldiers to make the power everlasting.
Noting that Begum Zia was not less than Ziaur Rahman, Hasan said 76kgs of bomb attack was carried out at Kotalipara in Gopalganj and a gruesome grenade attack was carried out in front of the country’s largest political party in the heart of Dhaka in 2004 to kill the Awami League leadership.
A total of 24 people, including Begum Ivy Rahman, 21 more AL leaders and activists, were killed and more than 500 AL leaders and activists, including five members of parliament, were injured in the grenade attack, he said, adding, “I am still bearing sprinters in my body like other injured people”.
In 2013, 2014 and 2015, BNP had confined the people in their houses days after days in the name of enforcing blockade to topple the government and killed hundreds of people by throwing petrol bombs and setting thousands on fire, the minister said.
It is ridiculous that the BNP, which had grabbed the state power at gun point, formed the party by luring residual power, killed thousands of people to make the power everlasting, killed thousands of AL leaders and activists, is now talking about democracy and issuing statement on the occasion of the International Day of Democracy, he added.
Mentioning that Talibans are also included in BNP’s 22-party alliance, Hasan said BNP included those political parties, which have similarity with Afghanistan’s political ideology where beheadings are carried out for expressing views, and Jamaat-e-Islami, which did not want the country, with its (BNP) alliance.
Speaking at the function, Palak said Janata Sarkar citizen interactive web portal will create a bridge between the general public and the government.
Pointing out that it has been created to ensure a better democracy by improving democratic practices to implement the people-oriented vision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said, through this portal people can do constructive criticism or give suggestions or recommendations.
A total of 11 ministries have already been integrated to the web portal while 56 ministries will be interlinked with the portal in phases, Palak added.
Primarily, people’s response to government decisions will be sent to the Prime Minister, ministers and secretaries on a weekly basis through the web portal, he said, adding that the portal will run under the Digital Literacy Center of the Bangladesh Computer Council.
Later, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan joined the annual general meeting and reunion of the BCS Information Association as the chief guest at the same venue.
Speaking on the occasion, he said members of the information service are working as bridge between the people and the government by providing government information to the public and public feedback to the government.
Since the members of the information service are performing their duties as public relations officers in the ministries and departments of the government, the minister said there is no alternative to acquire skills for using technology to keep pace with the changing world.
BCS Information Association President and Department of Films and Publications (DFP) Director General SM Golam Kibria presided over the function while President’s Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin spoke as the special guest.
Newly elected President of the association and Mass Communication Department (MCD) Director General Md Zashim Uddin, Secretary General Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya and outgoing Secretary General Munshi Jalal Uddin spoke at the function.
