DHAKA, August 28, 2023 (BSS)- Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today criticized the recent statement made by 34 intellectuals in favour of Dr Yunus.

Addressing a function here today the minister said, “It’s a question whether the intellectuals have issued the statement by losing their mental power or they have used their brains for depriving the people labour class.”

“With due respect, I would like to say that Dr Yunus is a senior citizen and Nobel laureate. But, he didn’t provide the dues of his workers. The aggrieved workers filed the case which is now under trial,” he said.

Television Camera-Journalists Association (TCA) organized the discussion marking the National Mourning Day at a convention centre at Panthapath in the city.

Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Hoque Shamim addressed the discussion as the main speaker.

 “I would like to tell the intellectuals that you have made statement in favour of Dr Yunus. But, why do you have not gave any statement in favour of the workers,” Dr Hasan asked saying “the workers were supposed to get Taka 1200 crore, but it was reduced to Taka 400 crore through fraud.”

Commending the role of camera journalists of televisions the information minister said the camera persons are the life line of the visual media. Camera journalists work hard through facing many challenges in their duties, he added.

The minister urged the TV channels authorities to pay their legitimate salaries to the camera journalists. He also asked the owners of television companies to bring the journalists under universal pension scheme declared by the Prime Minister.

In his speech, Deputy Minister Enamul Haque Shamim paid glowing tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

TCA President Sheikh Mahabub Alam presided over the function while Engineer Md Enamul Haque, MP, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant and AL Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists President and Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Deputy Chief News Editor Omar Faruque and Broadcast Journalists Association Member Secretary Shakil Ahmed, TCA general secretart Shahidul Haque Jiban among others, addressed the discussion.