DHAKA, Dec 20, 2022 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said it provokes laughter when BNP leaders, who destroyed the state and democracy, captured power on gunpoint after killing Bangabandhu and formed the party by distributing leftovers of power, talk about reforming the state.

"I saw their (BNP) proposals of reforming the state and there is a proposal that 'there will be no compromise with corruption'. People laugh when the party talks about corruption as it made the country champions in corruption for five consecutive times. Even the acting chairman of BNP is a convicted accused for corruption," he said.

The minister added: "Khandaker Mosharraf did the politics of Chhatra League. Many BNP leaders joined the party to enjoy the leftovers of power. And it is ridiculous when the party leaders talk about reforming the state."

Hasan said these to reporters after inaugurating inter-university hackathon 'Code Samurai' at TSC auditorium of Dhaka University here.

He said BNP is staging movement through giving 27 demands where most demands are traditional. There exists no confidence in politics and politicians when anyone talks about the caretaker government in the country, he added.

"We want to establish tolerance and harmony in politics. But they (BNP) don't want it. For this, they want to bring something which is undemocratic. It is never appropriate," said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

Replying to a query over the recent comments of the US envoy, the minister said the foreign ambassadors are needed to give statements in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

He said, "Our political issues are our internal matters. The present situation of Bangladesh is not like 1971 or 1976-77 or 1982-83. The country is now 2022's Bangladesh. Currently, the country doesn't have to rush to the Paris Consortium meeting for budget preparation. We formulate our own budget and there is no scope for any foreigner to interfere."

Earlier in the inaugural function, Hasan said Bangladesh didn't fall behind in the fourth industrial revolution though it was behind in first, second and third revolution. The country has been turned into a Digital Bangladesh' under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he added.

The minister said the government wants to build a human and social welfare state.

DU Engineering and Technology Faculty Dean Dr Hafiz Md Hasan Babu, Oneproof Incorporation chief executive Izumi Hirayama, Marubeni Corporation director general of Dhaka Hikari Kawai, DU Computer Science and Engineering Department chairman Dr Saifuddin Md Tarik, among others, addressed the function with DU pro vice chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Samad in the chair.