DHAKA, May 22, 2019 (BSS) – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today
said the government has set up a makeshift court in Keraniganj Central Jail
as per the laws and regulations to conduct BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia’s
trial in her convenience.
“The government can set up court at anywhere as per the laws and
regulations and assisting the court is a responsibility of the government…
So, the government has set up the makeshift court in Keraniganj Central Jail
as per the laws and regulations in Khaleda Zia’s convenience as she is sick,”
he said replying to a query from newsmen on the sidelines of an a2i programme
at PIB here.
There is no constitutional matter as setting up court and conducting trial
procedures are different things, Hasan said, adding that it is the matter of
judges what they will do in trial procedure.
BNP should be happy as the makeshift court has been set up inconvenience
of Begum Khaleda Zia to reduce her sufferings of traveling to court, he said.
Earlier, the minister addressed the ‘PIB-A2i Mass Media Award 2018′
distribution ceremony at the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) auditorium
here.
Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar addressed the
function as the guest of honor while Information Secretary Abdul Malek and
a2i’s Policy Advisor Anir Chowdhury addressed it as special guests with PIB
Directory Board Chairman Abed Khan in the chair.
About BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi’s leaked telephone conversation with a
Khulna BNP leader on jute mill workers’ movement, the information minister
said BNP, they, earlier, carried out many sabotages and arson attacks and
killed hundreds of people hurdling patrol bombs.
They damaged government and non-government properties worth about Taka
thousands crore, Hasan said, adding, “Now they have no ability to wage
movement. So, when someone wages movement, they try to shift the track of the
movement and carry out sabotages in exchange of money”.
Although now it is appeared that BNP is staying away from their
destructive activities, their such phone call proves that they are waiting to
use opportunity to restore their destructive activities, he said.
While addressing the award distribution ceremony, the information minister
urged the PIB to launch an award for investigative report, especially for
report on humanity.
Noting that Bangladesh has much forwarded in using digital technologies,
Dr Hasan underscored the need for protecting moral values so that the moral
values could not be lost with the use of the technologies.
Addressing the function, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa
Jabbar said the country has now got identity as ‘Digital Bangladesh’ in the
world.
The world community now respects Bangladesh, the minister said, adding
that the developing countries are following Bangladesh.
Mentioning that every unions of the country will be brought under the
optical fiber connectivity in the end of this year, Jabbar said about 10,000
post offices have been turned into digital post offices.
In the function, Information Secretary Abdul Malek said the present
government believes in freedom of mass media.
There was 778 newspapers in the country in 2009, the official said, adding
there are now 3,124 newspapers, 45 private television channels while the
government has launched community radio which is helpful for coastal area
people.
PIB Director General Zafar Wazed delivered welcome address in the function
while Dainik Bhorer Kagoj Editor and Jury Board Member Shyamal Dutta
addressed it, among others.
In the function, seven journalists received the PIB-a2i media award 2018.
The award recipients are Buddhadeb Kundu of Boishakhi TV, Rafiqul Islam Montu
of Risingbd, Ibrahim Hossain Ovi of Dhaka Tribune, Md Mustafizur Rahman of
Bangladesh Betar, Ujjal Biswas of Dainik Gramer Kagoj, Syed Zakir Hossain of
Dhaka Tribune and Md Waliullah of Dainik Share Biz.