BNP aims to make polls controversial: Hasan

Publish: 8:01 PM, January 2, 2020 | Update: 8:01 PM, January 2, 2020

DHAKA, – Castigating BNP leaders for their comments on the two city corporations polls in Dhaka, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said BNP is out to make the January 30 city polls controversial and questionable.

“I think they (BNP) should participate in the election with the aim to win the race instead of making it debatable,” he said, addressing a memorial meeting at the Jatiya Press Club here.

Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote (BSJ) organized the memorial meeting marking the first death anniversary of former Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam.

Hasan urged BNP leaders to go to the masses, inform them about their programmes and earn people’s trust and confidence.

Referring to BNP secretary general Mirza Fakrul Islam Alamgir’s comments on the city polls, the minister said his (Fakhrul) statement underlined the BNP’s defeat in the upcoming polls. “Their (BNP) main target is to put the city polls into question and impede the ongoing democratic process,” said Hasan, also AL joint general secretary.

Turning to BNP leader Selima Rahman’s remarks against the government, the minister said the BNP has chosen the path of conspiracy after failing to face the Awami League politically.

“The politics of intrigue in Bangladesh would be of no avail from now on. Though they (BNP) believe that the government would be toppled through conspiracies, the people believe such attempts would go in vain,” he added.

Welcoming constructive criticism from all, the minister asked the BNP to refrain from making the city polls controversial and obstructing the onwards journey of democracy.

About another comment of the BNP secretary general, the minister said, as per many international surveys, about 70 percent people of the country accept Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership in running the government while about 60 percent people accept Awami League to lead the government.

He said about 95 percent people of Bangladesh think that BNP has failed to run their own party.

The minister said it was BNP’s founder Ziaur Rahman who had initiated the process of erosion in politics. “He (Zia) had opened ‘hut’ (bazar) for selling and buying the political leaders. Many of them including Mirza Fakhrul and Moudud Ahmed had joined BNP from other parties. And now they are running the party,” he added.

Recalling the political career of Syed Ashraf, the minister said there are a few leaders like him as he had no vanity or greed as one of the top leaders of the ruling Awami League.

He said Syed Ashraf, the able son of Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam, who was the acting president of Bangladesh, and one of the four national leaders, was completely an honest personality, efficient organizer and a leader of the masses.

He said the nation has lost an honest, dedicated and courageous leader and his death is an irreparable loss to the country’s politics as well as the Awami League.

Hasan also remembered with deep gratitude his strong role during the bad time of the 1/11. “This public leader will remain alive in the hearts of the people forever for his works,” he said.

“Syed Asharaful Islam had passed his political, social and family life with utmost sincerity and honesty,” he added.

The minister urged the leaders and activists of Awami League to follow Ashraf’s ideology and humanitarian qualities for the wellbeing of the country.

Syed Ashraful Islam died of lung cancer at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok on January 3 last year.

Ashraf was born in Mymensingh in 1952. His father Syed Nazrul Islam was acting President of Mujibnagar government in 1971 and one of the key organizers of Bangladesh independence struggle.

AL leaders Akter Hossain and advocate Bolaram Poddar, eminent singer Rafiqul Alam, poet Nasir Ahmed, BSJ general secretary Arun Sarker Rana and actress Tarin Ahmed, among others, addressed the meeting with eminent cultural personality Syed Hasan Imam in the chair.