Actions to be taken if BNP creates anarchy: Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday warned the BNP, saying the government will take tough actions if the party holds their rally at Naya Paltan with the aim of creating chaos.

“The BNP is getting Suhrawardy Udyan to hold their public meeting smoothly and without any hassle. Even the date of conference of Chhatra League has been rescheduled. The government would take proper steps if the BNP wants to hold their rally at Naya Paltan with the aim of creating anarchies,” he said.

The minister said these to reporters at the meeting room of his ministry at the Secretariat in the capital, reports Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.

Hasan said Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has rescheduled the conference of Chhatra League on December 6 from December 8 so that the BNP gets time to erect a stage for their rally. It is easy to postpone any conference, but it is not easy to bring it ahead from the scheduled date, he added.

But, he said, the Awami League did it for the BNP and the party is holding its rallies across the country peacefully. On the other hand, grenade, bombs attacks were carried out on Awami League’s rallies and people were killed during BNP’s regime.

The minister said there was a permanent barbed-wire fence on both sides of the Awami League office when the party (AL) was in opposition and its leaders and activists were not allowed to go beyond the fences. Police used to charge batons if about 20 AL leaders and activists stood in Russell Square at that time and those pictures were found on social platforms till now, said Hasan, also AL joint general secretary.

The minister said police had charged baton on veteran AL leaders late Muhammad Nasim and Begum Matia Chowdhury. “Even I was also hurt by the police. None of their (BNP) leaders had to face such attacks during our 14-year tenure. They are holding their rallies peacefully as the government is assisting them,” he added.

Replying to a query over militant issues, Hasan said the BNP is the chief patron of the militants in the country and, for this, the militants have risen up. The recent ill activity of militants and the BNP are linked, he added.

He said the BNP had fielded ‘Bangla Bhai’ and he was given police protection when it (the BNP) was in power. Ruhul Quddus Dulu, Rajshahi former mayor Minu, Alamgir Kabir, Nadim Mostafa, Barrister Aminul Haque and many others were the secret godfathers of Operation Killing Commander ‘Bangla Bhai’, he added.

He said bombs were blasted at 500 places across the country during BNP’s regime and no steps were taken against the incidents.

The minister said currently BNP is making provocative statements in the name of rallies and trying to create an untoward situation in the country. The militant groups are also trying to be active, he added.

He said BNP is the chief patron and financer of militants and terrorists groups in the country.

Later, outgoing Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming paid a courtesy call on the information minister at his office.

In the meeting, they discussed different bilateral issues, including increasing communication in mass media, culture and commercial sectors to take forward the friendly relations of the two countries.