Information Minister and Awami League joint general secretary Dr Hassan Mahmood said, “people laugh when the leader of a party born undemocratic such as BNP speaks of democracy. Question remains how much right they have to talk about democracy.”
The minister made the comment while exchanging views newly elected council of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the conference room of the Information Department at the Secretariat on Wednesday afternoon. Chief Information Officer Mohammad Shahenur Mia, DRU President Nazrul Islam Mithu, General Secretary Nurul Islam Hasib took part in the discussion. After the discussion, journalists questioned the BNP secretary general's recent remarks that "the Awami League is the enemy of the country and democracy and the party for Pakistan and Zia is the herald of independence."
The Minister of Broadcasting said, "People laugh at the leader of a party that was born undemocratically, occupying power in the cantonment and coordinating the crows of politics with the remnants of that power."
The government that was formed on April 17, 1971 with Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as President, Syed Nazrul Islam as Vice President and Tajuddin Ahmed as Prime Minister, was employed by the government with a salary of Tk 400 and received regular salary. "Ziaur Rahman has read Bangabandhu's declaration of independence, Zia is not a proclaimer of independence," he said.
Hassan Mahmood said, "Many people have read the declaration of independence. The first declaration was read on 26 March by MA Hannan, General Secretary of Chittagong Awami League. Ziaur Rahman read the declaration of independence on 26 March on behalf of Bangabandhu.”
The minister said, "They are not the only ones. On March 26, when Pakistani forces were carrying out massacres in Chittagong city, Nurul Haque, the office bearer of Chittagong Awami League office, read out Bangabandhu's declaration of independence in all Chittagong city by announcements at the risk of his life."
On the other hand, Ziaur Rahman read out the declaration on March 26 while surrounded by guards. If one has to applaud for reading the Declaration of Independence, then Nurul Haque deserves much more applause. Nurul Haque's role was much more courageous and important, he added.
"A few days ago, Mirza Fakhrul fell into disarray with the example of democracy in Pakistan. Their love for Pakistan was exposed a few days ago, so they are saying the opposite," he said. When asked whether the BNP would join the movement with other parties after Eid, the joint general secretary of the Awami League retorted, "Which Eid is their movement after? We have been hearing for the last 12-13 years that their movement will be after Eid, after Ramadan, after annual exams, after winter, after monsoon.”
Earlier, the minister congratulated the newly elected committee of Dhaka Reporters' Unity and commended the journalists of all walks of life working together at DRU. Regarding the draft law on media workers, Hassan Mahmud said, "The draft law has gone to the parliamentary committee and the parliamentary committee has the power to change, modify or even send it back. At the same time, I said that we are working to change and refine it. So there is no reason to worry about that. But everyone is just talking about inconsistencies, no one is discussing the good aspects.”
In his speech, DRU President Nazrul Islam Mithu demanded a special allocation of Tk 3-5 crore for the Dhaka Reporters' Unity in the national budget every year for the betterment of journalism. General Secretary Nurul Islam Hasib highlighted the activities of the organization. The Information Minister assured that the issues raised by them would be taken into consideration as per the rules.
