DHAKA, Oct 17, 2023 (BSS)- Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today urged the AL men and cultural activists to put the state on guard for next 100 days as BNP wants to hand over the country to their foreign master.

“People are the safeguard of state power. But, you have to be vigilant to save the country as BNP-Jamaat wants to hand over the country to their foreign masters,” he said.

The minister said this while addressing a meeting at an auditorium of Jatiya Press Club (JPC) here.

Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote (BSJ) organized the discussion marking the 60th birthday of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s youngest son Shaheed Sheikh Russell.

Dr Hasan said, BNP knows it very well that they will not be able to go to power through election. Their ultimate goal is to hatching conspiracy to topple Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said.  

The information minister said BNP and Jamaat become extreme Muslims when poll comes, giving different statements against Awami League. But, BNP and Jamaat are not concerned about the real problem of Muslims. They are actually taking side in favour of Israel, brutality and war crimes, he added.

Hasan Mahmud said, BNP leaders remained silent when innocent Palestinians and children are being killed like birds. They are silent in fear of annoying big powers- that means they are in favour of Israel, he said.

Urging the BNP leaders including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir not to act as the leader of ‘lathiyal bahini’ of Begum Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman, the minister said, “please act as a politician . . . do work for the country.”

Hasan said, Mirza Fakhrul after being elected as a lawmaker in 2018 election, his supreme leader barred him from taking oath. All BNP lawmakers were forced to forced to resign from the parliament at their directives.

In fact, Hasan Mahmud said, Begum Zia and Tarique Rahman don’t want that the other leaders of the party (BNP) to go to election and elect as lawmaker.

The minister said it is not possible to topple the government by holding rallies or forming human chain. Their same attempt went futile in 2013 and 2014, he said.

Hasan said, the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is pledged bound to hold a free, fair, neutral and transparent election.

People of the country would take part in the next election with enthusiasm, he said hoping that BNP will also take part in the poll.

Earlier, the minister paid glowing tribute to Shaheed Sheikh Russell and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul.

He said Russell was brutally assassinated along with most of his family members, including his father Bangabandhu, on August 15, 1975.

Dr Hasan said if Sheikh Russell had been alive today, he could have contributed a lot to the national life. But the killers did not spare him, he added.

He said, killing of Russell will remain as a heinous crime in the history. The trial of the killers has been done, but it is not sufficient. The masks of kingpins of the brutality including Ziaur Rahman should be exposed, said Hasan.

AL national committee member Advocate Boloram Poddar, Ekushey Padak winner Dr Arup Ratan Chowdhury, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) vice president Manik Lal Ghosh, BSJ leader SD Rubel, journalist Redowan Khandaker and Muhammad Rokan, among others, addressed the meeting with BSJ executive president Md Rafiqul Alam in the chair. BSJ general secretary Arun Sarker Rana conducted it.