"Bangladesh's 7-step progress in the UN's list of happy countries is a severe blow to the BNP's continuous anti-national propaganda," said Information and Broadcasting Dr Hasan Mahmud.
Speaking at a discussion meeting on the occasion of the 9th death anniversary of the late President Md. Zillur Rahman at the National Press Club in the capital on Monday afternoon, he said, ‘Again Gayeshwar Roy stated that the people of the country are not good, Khandaker Mosharraf stated that the people of the country are in a lot of trouble. On the contrary, Bangladesh has taken 7 steps in the happy index report of the United Nations. This is a huge blow to BNP on their propaganda statements.’
Deputy Minister of Water Resources Enamul Haque Shamim was present at the meeting as a special guest.
"There is another party, not just the BNP, who thinks they are very wise and they have nothing to do but prove it wrong," Dr Hassan said, " Our position in the World Happiness Index is 94, India's position is 137. Pakistan's position is 126. They have nothing to say about it. They do not give even five bucks to the people, they do not stand by the side of the people, we have not seen them standing by anyone even with binoculars during this time. They are nowhere to be seen during cyclones or crises, but occasionally they suddenly publish a report. '
"The CPD does not actually conduct any research. From time to time, it submits politically motivated reports”, said Minister Dr Hassan Mahmood. "In Europe, where food prices are at their highest level in decades, the price of bread has risen by 70 per cent, the price of rice has risen, and the price of food has risen in the United States. All over the world including India and Pakistan, prices have gone up due to war and Covid-19 pandemic. In Bangladesh it has increased a little but less than the other countries. But CPD is saying the opposite.
They want to prove that they are wise by presenting wrong information.'
The Information and Broadcasting Minister said, "CPD is one of the various organizations which has nothing to do with the happiness index. I was very surprised to see the report of CPD. There is no talk about the people of Bangladesh being happy, but they said the opposite. Rising commodity prices around the world have pushed up the prices of some consumer goods in Bangladesh which are mainly dependent on imports. To cope with this, the government has started issuing cards to 10 million people from Sunday so that low-income people can buy these products at low prices. A relief has returned to the people of the country that low income people will get these products at low prices. The CPD could have suggested this, but they did not. Without praising the government's initiative, it is the CPD's job to say the opposite. "
In this context, Hasan Mahmud said, "You can see how many kinds of experts there are in Bangladesh if you open the television channel after 12 o'clock at night. Many of them are good experts, I respect them, thank them, society needs their opinion for the state. There are others who are experts in all matters and there are some who are ignorant experts for special reasons, and there are others whom I have given the name of the wrong party. They have nothing to do but catch mistakes. They do not like the fact that the people of the country are happy. The BNP does not like it, the intellectuals who are with the BNP do not like it either. There will be criticism but it needs to be realistic. It is not appropriate to be criticized like the blind and the deaf.”
Earlier, paying homage to the memory of the late President Zillur Rahman, Dr Hasan Mahmud said that Zillur Rahman, a good man from head to toe, took politics as a vow of national service and social change. He has a lot to learn. Zillur Rahman's role in the crisis of our party will remain in the history of our party but also in the history of politics of Bangladesh.
Deputy Minister for Water Resources Enamul Haque Shamim said the late President Zillur Rahman was a big man as both a leader and a man. He has done politics for the welfare of the country and has always been by the side of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. His memory lives on in our hearts.