DHAKA, – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today criticized BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir over his comment on Rohingyas, saying BNP does not want them to be relocated to Bhashan Char as it is opposed to their repatriation.
“Good arrangements have been made at Bhashan Char for accommodation of the Rohingyas ensuring all kinds of safety and security,” he told newsmen while replying to a question at a press briefing at his Secretariat office here.
The minister said BNP can do politics if the Rohingya people stay here. For their (BNP) political interest, they don’t want the Rohingyas to be shifted to Bhashan Char.
“You all know who are opposing relocation of the Rohingyas to Bhashan Char. Some identified NGOs (non government organizations) are opposing relocation of the Rohingyas,” said Hasan, also the publicity and publication secretary of Awami League.
Besides, he said Mirza Fakhrul and his party do not want the Rohingyas go back to their homeland in Myanmar. BNP will lose their ill political interest, if the Rohingyas return to their country, he added.
Hasan said, “I don’t know why they (BNP) are opposing shifting of the Rohingyas to Bhashan Char where they would get more facilities. Good arrangements have been made for their accommodation under the auspicious of army and navy.”
Replying to a question over the unnatural death of ninth grader of Residential Model School and College Naimul Abrar Rahat, the minister said it is very regretful that the organizer kept their programme on even after the death of the student.
He informed that the issue was discussed at the cabinet meeting today though it was not included in the agenda.
The meeting, he said, discussed why the organizers continued their programme even after the death of Abrar, why he was buried without any autopsy and other legal procedures, who were responsible for the incident and why the organisers took Abrar to a hospital which was far from the institution while there were many nearby facilities.
He said he would not make any comment as the incident is under investigation.
Abrar was electrocuted on the school premises recently during an event organised by Kishor Alo, a publication meant for the young readers of Bangla language daily Prothom Alo.
Hasan expressed deep sorrow at the death of former mayor of Dhaka City Corporation and BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka.
He prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.
Later, leaders of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) paid a courtesy call on the information minister at the meeting room of his ministry.
State Minister for Information Dr Murad Hasan, Information Secretary Abdul Malek, Principal Information Officer Surath Kumar Sarker, Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) Director General Zafar Wazed, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) President Molla Jalal, Secretary General Shaban Mahmud, DUJ President Abu Jafar Surya and general secretary Sohel Haider Chowdhury, among others, were present in the meeting.
