Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said, BNP is playing double standard over the price of goods.
The minister was responding to a question from reporters about the BNP's comments on commodity prices after unveiling five books on Bangabandhu, literature, politics and mass media at the Ekushey Book Fair on Tuesday. Dr Hasan said, "BNP is encouraging unscrupulous traders to increase the price of goods inside the country and is carrying out a programme to show off on the ground, which is their double standard."
Responding to BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi's remarks that the ruling party was smuggling money abroad in the name of development, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said, ‘FBI has divulged Tarek Rahman and Khaleda Zia’s son Koko’s money laundering issue and that money was brought back in Bangladesh from Singapore. The FBI has come to Bangladesh to sign the money laundering of Tarek Rahman.’
Dr Hasan said, ‘People laugh when their leaders are involved in money laundering, under whose leadership Bangladesh has become a five-time champion in corruption. This statement of Mr Rizvi is ridiculous. I request them to look at themselves in the mirror.'
‘The whole world is praising the way Bangladesh is moving forward today, the World Bank is praising it, the President of the United States is praising it, and the Secretary General of the United Nations is praising it’, the minister added.
Regarding the reflection of commodity prices in the media, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said, "We see in some newspapers and television channels that the product is being promoted if no one gets it but the product that thousands of people are happy with is not being promoted - that is unfortunate."Dr Hasan said the war in Ukraine and Covid-19 pushed up commodity prices by about 60 per cent worldwide. Bangladesh government is also taking strict action against dishonest traders and the price is very low in comparison to the neighboring country India and Pakistan. Through TCB, arrangements have been made to sell daily necessities to one crore low-income people.
Earlier, politician Rashek Rahman's 'Pronoyer Rajniti', agriculturist Saleh Mohammad Rashid Alok's 'Gonomaddhome Hatekhori', Information Cadre Officer Afroza Naich Rima's book of poems based on Bangabandhu's unfinished memoir ‘Shotoborshe Shoto Kobita’ , Shoumitro Dev’s ‘ Bangabandhui Bangladesh’ and journalist Sajeda Parveen Saju's book of poetry 'Apeksha' was unveiled by Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hassan Mahmud.
Jatiya Sangsad Whip Abu Saeed Al Mahmood Swapan, Swechchhasebak League Central President Nirmal Ranjan Guha, General Secretary Afzalur Rahman Babu, All European Awami League President M Nazrul Islam, Bangla Academy Deputy Director Dr Shahadat Hossain Nipu, poet Rebecca artist, writer, publisher and guests were present on the occasion.
