Zia cut down thousands trees to cling to power: Hasan

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DHAKA, June 15, 2021 (BSS) – Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said Ziaur Rahman not only killed hundreds officials and soldiers of armed forces, he also cut down thousands of trees of Dhaka to cling to the power.

“Ziaur Rahman introduced a strange system when he was in power. He established a reign of ‘curfew’. The people whose age is above 50, they can remember that during the Ziaur Rahman regime there was night-time curfew at Dhaka and Chattogram cities year after year,” he said.

Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, added: “Ziaur Rahman cut down roadside trees of Dhaka city. One person told Zia that anyone can kill you from behind tree. For this reason, he (Zia) cut down trees to cling to the power.”

The minister stated these while inaugurating four-month long tree plantation programme of Awami League Forests and Environment Sub-Committee at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.

AL Forests and Environment Affairs secretary Delwar Hossain conducted the function with the sub-committee advisor Dr Khandakar Bazlul Haque in the chair.

Hasan said BNP and Jamaat also cut down most of the trees of Dhaka city during the movement of Hefazat. But, the people who are working on environment and nature issues remained silent which is unexpected, he added.

The minister said the forests land was 8 percent when BNP-Jamaat was in power. Presently, the tree-covered land areas have been increased during the last 12 and a half years under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the forests land has been increased to 12 percent, he added.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina turned the tree plantation programme into a social movement. “And we will accelerate the movement by planting three types of forest, herbal and medicinal plants.” He added.

Hasan, who is also an environmentalist, said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman turned the racecourse into an orchid and later her daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has decorated it with more trees.

Not only forests have been created on roadsides in the locality under the leadership of the prime minister, the poor people also have got the ownership of the trees through social forestry and many have got Taka 10 to 25 lakh by selling trees at a certain time, he added.

He said the Prime Minister distributes trees every year through a function.

Replying to a query of newsmen over a comment of BNP secretary general, the minister said the Awami League government under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the government of people. For this, the countrymen gave the responsibility of running the state to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for three consecutive times, he added.

Later, the minister planted three trees near Kali Mandir of the Suharwardi Uddyan.

Earlier, Hasan took part in a memorial meeting at Jatiya Press Club in the city.

Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote (BSJ) organised the meeting marking the first death anniversary of late AL presidium member Mohammad Nasim.

In his speech, the minister said the death of Mohammad Nasim is not only an irreparable loss for Awami League, but also for the full political field. He (Nasim) had a great virtue that he maintained a good relation with all even anti-party, Hasan added.

Paying rich tribute, Hasan said Mohammad Nasim didn’t hesitate to protest of wrong statements of anyone.

The minister prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.

State Minister for Information Dr Murad Hasan addressed the meeting as the key speaker.

Murad also paid rich tribute to late AL veteran politician Mohammad Nasim.

AL office secretary and Prime Minister’s special assistance Barrister Biplob Barua, Mohammad Nasim’s son Tanvir Shakil Joy, MP, AL Dhaka South City unit former general secretary Shahe Alam Murad, Advocate Boloram Poddar, MA Karim.BSJ general secretary Arun Sarker Rana, actress Tarin Jahan and Shahnur, among others, addressed the meeting with BSJ senior vice president and Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra artiste Rafiqul Alamin the chair.

Later, in the evening, the Information and Broadcasting Minister joined the inaugural function of tree plantation of Kriskhak League as special guest at Krishibid Institute in the capital.