DHAKA, Jan 5, 2023 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said BNP's recent programmes have proved that they want to create instability in the country.

"They (BNP) had carried out arson terrorism centering December 10. They have declared sit-in protest on January 11 and they would try to create an unstable situation over the programmes too," he said.

 "We remained alert on December 10. They had called for a mass procession on December 30 in Dhaka. We remained alert on that day too. We will give a befitting reply along with the common people if BNP wants to create anarchies in the name of (political) programmes in future."

Hasan said this to reporters replying to a query at the meeting room of his ministry at Secretariat in the capital.

He said there is no bar in observing peaceful programmes by BNP and the government is assisting them and will assist in upcoming days also. But, the countrymen would resist them (BNP), if they want to carry out violence in the name of political programmes and Awami League will remain beside the masses, he added.

Replying to a query, the minister said BNP has been seeking the fall of the government for the last 13 and a half years. They were behind the BDR mutiny and the party wanted the resignation of the government after the incident, he added.

He said they must come in the polls if the party wants to oust the government and should prove their popularity. There is no other way to topple the government as it is a democratic state system, said Hasan.

But, he said, BNP doesn't believe in this and they want to catch fish in muddled water.

Earlier, the minister exchanged views with the leaders of Abhinoy Shilpi Sangha, a platform of TV artistes. Organisation president Ahsan Habib Nasim, general secretary Rownak Hasan, organizing secretary Saju Khadem, executive members Maznun Mizan, Hridi Haque, Sangeeta Chowdhury and Ainun Nahar, among others, were present.

In the meeting, Habib raised different demands of the artistes, including the declaration of acting as a profession, increasing representatives of actors in the Welfare Trust and patronage in producing TV dramas and serials.

Hasan said the journey of private televisions in the country had been started by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after she assumed power in 1996. Later, the number of private TV stood at 10 during 1997 to 2008, he added.

The government gave 46 TV licenses after assuming office in 2009 while 36 TV channels are on air. For this, this sector has created employment opportunities, he added.

He said, earlier, some TV channels were depended on foreign serials, but later, the government has issued a notification that a TV channel would not be allowed to broadcast more than one foreign serial at a time. For this, more serials have been produced in the country, he added.

He said the ministry has issued a notification of realizing additional tax of Taka two lakh for every foreign artiste if anyone makes ads. Besides, the TV channel which will air the foreign ads will also have to pay Tk 20,000 to the government, he added.

Hasan said, "I'm trying my best to fulfill the demands. Even, I've also taken steps over those issues which were not demands of anyone."