DHAKA, Feb 9, 2022 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr
Hasan Mahmud today said BNP has made Begum Khaleda Zia ridicule by
showing a three and a half year's previous certificate named 'Mother
of Democracy' before the mass media given by an organization which did
anti-state agreement with lobby firm on behalf of BNP.

  "We saw in the mass media that a Canadian organization, which is not
familiar to many people and was formed only few years ago, gave the
title 'Mother of Democracy' to her (Begum Khaleda Zia) which Mirza
Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had been telling from 2017 to 2018.

  "The certificate was issued on July 31, 2018. But suddenly BNP
leaders started to talk about the certificate which made Begum Zia
'laughing stock'," he said.

  The minister stated these while replying to a query of reporters in
front of his office at Secretariat in the capital today.

  Hasan said: "You all know that Canadian Federal Court gave a ruled
that BNP is a terrorist organization. And BNP bought a certificate
from a so-called organization of Canada three and a half years ago.
BNP did some agreement with lobby firms by using their own official
address while doing some agreements through foreigners.

  "The 'Organization for Peace and Justice', which issued a
certificate to Begum Zia, made an agreement with lobby firms to spread
anti-state propaganda. And now they are showing the certificate in the
mass media which is really ridiculous."

  Earlier, Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Vikram Doraiswami met
with the minister at his office. Information and Broadcasting
Secretary Md Mokbul Hossain was present in the meeting.

  After the meeting, Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary,
said that they discussed different bilateral issues including the
release of the film on Bangabandhu's life.

   They had also discussion on getting scholarships for training of
artists, easing the process of showing Bangladeshi private TV channels
in West Bengal and how the representatives of Kolkata of Bangladeshi
channels and newspapers get accreditation cards, he said.

  The minister also informed that Tanvir Mokammel has been appointed
as the director on behalf of Bangladesh for a documentary on the
Liberation War being financed by the two states. The high commissioner
has informed that a joint director will be appointed soon on behalf of
India, he added.