DHAKA, May 31, 2023 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the statement of the BNP secretary general shows that good senses are yet to prevail upon that party even after introduction of the new visa policy by the United States.
 

"They (BNP) couldn't move away from the politics of incitement, resistance and boycotting elections like before. But they must move away," he told reporters while replying to a query at his residence in the city.
 

Earlier, the minister virtually joined a discussion organised by MANAS (Association for the Prevention of Drug Abuse), an anti-tobacco and anti-drug organisation in Bangladesh, marking the World No Tobacco Day at an auditorium of National Museum in the city.
 

Hasan said the US, in their visa policy, has cleared that they have no support to the caretaker government. They want a free, fair, transparent and neutral election and the visa policy will be applicable to those who will obstruct the democratic process and resist the polls, he added.
 

"But good senses did not prevail upon BNP even after the announcement of the visa policy," said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
 

He said the government always wants a free, fair and neutral election with the participation of all political parties, including BNP. The government wants competitive polls so that the countrymen can elect the next government through elections, he said. 

 
"The government, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Awami League want it," he added.

Replying to another query over a comment of the BNP secretary general, Hasan said the court is working freely. The cases of BNP leaders Aman and Tuku were filed during the caretaker government regime and Awami League didn't lodge the cases, he added. 

He said they were punished in those cases and they went to the High Court and the court upheld the verdicts of the lower court. On the other hand, many BNP leaders including Gayeshwar Chandra Roy got anticipatory bails from the court despite carrying out vandalism and arson attacks on vehicles and police and common people, he added. 

"It has proved that the court is working freely," said Hasan. 

Replying to another query over a graft case against Dr Muhammad Yunus, the minister said, "With due respect to him, I would like to say that the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed the case against him as they got proofs and on the basis of evidence as different sums of money were transferred to the leaders of employees as bribe without paying the dividends to the workers. For this, the leaders were also accused along with him. The ACC has said that corruption and irregularities have taken place there."
 
Besides, Hasan said, Dr Yunus had tried to form a political party and realized that it is not easy to form a political party by those who live far away from the people. Those who want to do politics have to live with the common people, otherwise it is not possible to form a political party or to do politics, he added. 
 
In the function, the minister said the theme of the year is 'We Need Food, Not Tobacco'. In fact, there is no need of tobacco and "I didn't take any cigarette or tobacco in my life", he added.
 
He said there are many hungry people in the world and producing food is more important than producing drugs. "If we can use the land which is being used for drug cultivation in food production then food production will increase and the country, nation, society and the world will be benefitted, said Hasan.

He said Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is working to build a drug-free society. 

Daffodil University CEO Mohammad Nuruzzaman and actor Ferdous Ahmed, among others, addressed the discussion with MANAS president and Ekushey Padak winner Dr Arupratan Chowdhury was in the chair.