DHAKA, Feb 2, 2023 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said BNP's recent activities reveal that the party's waist has broken while trying to push the government.
 
"Their (BNP) conspiracy has not stopped and they are still hatching plots. And the waist of BNP has broken while pushing the government. BNP has claimed that they would topple the government within December," he added.

The minister said BNP has realized that there is no benefit to push the government as the foundations of the government and the Awami League are deep-rooted. "I hope that BNP will remain in the democratic movement and walk on the path of democracy," he said.

Hasan said to reporters while replying to a query after unwrapping the book 'Unnayaner Nobo Diganta' published by Press Information Department (PID) at its auditorium at Secretariat in the capital.

Principal information officer (PIO) Md Shahenur Mia and senior deputy information officers Munsi Jalal Uddin and Khaleda Begum, among others, were present in the function.

Hasan said BNP itself has fell down while pushing the government. After that, now they started walking. 

He said BNP bagged about 30 seats in 2008's elections while they boycotted the 2014's polls. In 2018's polls, they got six seats and they know that they have no possibility in the next polls, he added.

For this, the minister said, the BNP is making various statements to make elections questionable and controversial and to divert people from the polls.
 
Replying to another query over Ukil Abdus Sattar, he said not retaining Sattar is a big failure of BNP. "There was no candidate of Awami League in the constituency and, for this, the activists and supporters of the party could choose anyone. It is their own matter and there was no directive from the party to work for anyone. They worked for the victory of any candidate of choice," he added.

He said Awami League nominated candidates only for three seats out of six constituencies' by-polls and the AL candidates have won through competitive elections. The polls were held in very peaceful, free and fair manner, he added.

Hasan said the turnover of those polls was not so much lower as the next general elections will be held within a year. About 40 percent people in the USA enlist themselves as voters, he added.

Earlier in the function, the minister unwrapped the book containing 45 features over the development activities of the government.

Hasan extended thanks to the PID for publishing the book, saying a big change has taken place across the country in the last 14 years. "We couldn't feel the change as we are going through the change. But we can feel where we were and where are now," he added.

He said just 40 percent people were under the facility of electricity while 41 percent people lived below under the poverty line before 14 years ago. But now, it (poverty) is 20 percent and 10 percent under extreme poverty, he added.

Hasan said Bangladesh left behind Pakistan in all indexes many days ago while it also left behind India in many indexes. The country became 35th largest economy in the world after 14 years under the charismatic leadership of the Prime Minister from its 60th position just in 2009.

The minister urged the mass media to present the issues of development before the countrymen along with criticisms.