COX’S BAZAR, – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said many opportunists want to get berth in Awami League (AL) and ride on the ‘Boat’ (AL’s electoral symbol) as the party is in power for three consecutive terms.

“There are many infiltrators in the party . . . so this is the time to take actions against those infiltrators,” he said, addressing a view exchange meeting with AL district unit leaders at the Circuit House here.

The minister said some opportunists, who opposed the AL in the past, now want to ride on the ‘Boat’. “Even many of them have got posts in the party. The garbage would have to be cleared before the conference of the party. The tested leaders and workers deserve the posts,” he added.

Urging all to work together against drugs, Dr Hasan said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is moving ahead with a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against all types of illegal drugs.

Pointing out the graduation of the country from ‘least developing’ status to ‘developing’, the minister said once a food deficient country, Bangladesh is now a food exporting one despite its high population density. The position of Bangladesh is better than India and Pakistan in many key indicators, he noted.

AL Deputy Publicity Secretary Aminul Islam, Saimum Sarwar Kamal, MP, Ashek Ullah Rafique, MP, Kaniz Fathema Ahmed, MP, and AL Cox’s Bazar unit General Secretary and Municipality Mayor Majibur Rahman, among others, were present in the meeting with AL district unit President Advocate Sirazul Mostafa in the chair.

Later, the minister attended a public rally, doa mahfil and mejban held at Ramu upazila. Local lawmaker Sarwar Kamol organized the rally and dao, seeking eternal peace of the departed soul of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members who were assassinated on the fateful night of August 15, 1975.