DHAKA, April 1, 2023 (BSS) - Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said the daily Prothom Alo and BNP are working as supplement to each other to undermine the government.

"There is no doubt that the report published by Prothom Alo is part of an international conspiracy. Prothom Alo and BNP are supplement to each other," he said.

The minister said these while addressing a joint meeting held with the presidents and secretaries of the affiliated organizations of the AL party at the party's central office on Bangabandhu Avenue here.

While presiding over the meeting, the AL general secretary mentioned that such journalism on the Independence Day is a criminal offense.

Prothom Alo is working to protect the interests of a vested quarter, Quader said, adding that the AL-government is popular with the countrymen and people have kept this government in power for three consecutive terms.
 
"But Prothom Alo is trying to undermine Bangladesh in front of the world," he added. 

He said that Prothom Alo has tried to go against the purpose of the Great Liberation War by setting special agendas on special days and is working in the interests of particular groups.

Apart from this, Prothom Alo is trying to isolate the people by implementing its agendas, he added.

"But the people of the country will not let it succeed. Such conspiracy will be brought under the law as no one is above the purview of law," Quader said. 

The AL leader further said that the time has come to think whether the news quoted a day laborer or it was just a statement made by the Prothom Alo.

The editor of the newspaper concerned cannot avoid the responsibility of making this news with wrong information, he said, adding that the newspaper showed extreme arrogance by not apologizing.
 
It is trying to incite the younger generation of the country, he added.

Criticizing Prothom Alo for publishing such news on the Independence Day, the Awami League (AL) general secretary said: "Is not it an ill-attempt of the Prothom Alo to destroy the nationhood?"

Noting that the independence of the country was achieved in exchange of the sacrifices of 30 lakh martyrs and the loss of honor of many mothers and sisters, he said this Independence Day is a unique day to develop patriotism among the young generation.

"Isn't that news, meant for setting 'politically selected special agenda' on this day, a denial of the great Liberation War and the ideals of the War of Liberation?" he said.

The AL leader said that in every country of the world, the media of that country encourages the people with inspirational messages on the day of Independence whereas 'Prothom Alo' tries to frustrate and it provokes the young generation by presenting false news to the nation to implement their master's conspiracy.

Regarding the statement of the 'Reporters Without Borders', Obaidul Quader said this organization is saying that the government has filed such a case against the editor of Prothom Alo to frighten journalists.

"Firstly, I would like to say that the government did not file a case here. An ordinary citizen can file a case. The matter that 'the government has filed a case' is false," Quader added.

"And whom we frighten or scare?" he said, adding that the one, who is said to be intimidated, wanted to keep the people of this country in fear. "He scared the state and the state machinery in this country," Quader said.

"He terrorized politics in this country. He intimidated the constitutional government of this country by advocating for an unconstitutional government," he said.

"Do we forget one-eleven? Who scares whom? Have we forgotten that he reported in the newspaper about the decision of depoliticizing? Quader added.

Noting that Prothom Alo and BNP are supplements to each other, he said their targets are Sheikh Hasina, the government, the people and the next election.

Awami League Presidium Members Dr Abdur Razzaque, Shahjahan Khan, Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Muhammad Faruk Khan, Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya Bir Bikram and Adv Md Qamrul Islam, Joint-General Secretaries Dr Hasan Mahmud, Mahbubul-Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretaries Ahmed Hossain and Sujit Roy Nandi, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Engineer Md Abdus Sabur, Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Relief and Social Welfare Affairs Secretary Aminul Islam Amin and Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan were also present, among others, in the joint meeting.