DHAKA, Jan 3, 2022 (BSS) - Terming the Padma Bridge as a dream,
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the
Padma Bridge has now became a reality brushing aside all sorts of
conspiracies and suspicions.

   "Padma Bridge was a dream and the dream has been fulfilled.
Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and his
(Bangabandhu's) younger daughter Sheikh Rehana went through from one
side to another through vehicle and returned to Ganabhaban from
another side of the bridge. She walked there . . . which meant the
Padma Bridge has been completed," he said.

   The minister stated these after a meeting with the newly elected
committee members of Bangladesh Press Council (BPC) at secretariat in
the capital.

   Information and Broadcasting secretary Md Mokbul Hossain, BPC
chairman Justice Md Nizamul Haque, secretary Md Shah Alam and members
Md Shafiul Islam, MP, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Saiful Alam, Manjurul
Ahsan Bulbul, Muzaffar Hossain Paltu, Sebika Rani and Dr Ferdows
Zaman, among others, joined the meeting.

  Hasan said conspiracies were plotted from home and abroad over the
Padma Bridge. BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia had claimed that Awami
League would not construct the bridge and other leader of her party
gave same statements, he added.

  Moreover, he said, the BNP chief had claimed that even if they (AL)
construct the bridge, then it will be a bridge of patch work. But, the
reality is that all bridges of the world are connecting structures, he
added.

   The minister said, "The premier went from one side to another of
the bridge. Now what will the BNP leaders say? I'm waiting when they
(BNP leaders) will cross the bridge by vehicles as they have made many
negative comments over the bridge."

  He said the premier has rejected the proposal of financing of the
World Bank as it refused financing for the mega project in the past.
"I hope that they will also see how a country under the leadership of
its Premier (Sheikh Hasina) can construct such a big bridge through
uprooting all international conspiracies. The persons will be ashamed
to see the Padma Bridge who stopped their financing from it," said
Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

   Earlier in the meeting, the minister said the Press Council is
working in practicing free opinions, freedom of mass media and to
ensure accountability. Steps have already been taken to make it
stronger, he added.

   He said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had
formed the Press Council.

   The minister said the government under the dynamic leadership of
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is working relentlessly to build a
multidimensional society. The freedom of expressing opinions is not
available in many developing countries, he added.

   He said media in the country are enjoying more freedom.

   "The publication of 167-year old newspaper 'News of the World' was
shut down for publishing wrong information in the United Kingdom. The
executive officers of the BBC were forced to resign for broadcasting
wrong information about a representative of the House of Commons. But,
there is no such instance in Bangladesh," Hasan said.