DHAKA, March 21, 2022 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr 
Hasan Mahmud today said Bangladesh’s seven notches progress on the Index 
of the World Happiness Report is a “tight slap” to BNP’s continuous anti-
state propaganda.
 
“Recently Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has claimed that the countrymen are 
unhappy and they are not well. On the other hand, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy 
has also said that the people of the country are not in a good position while Khandakar Mosharraf has claimed that the people are suffering a lot,” he said.
 
The minister added that: “But, Bangladesh has moved up seven notches on the Index of the World Happiness Report of the United Nations, despite the continuous propaganda of the BNP.”
 
Hasan stated these while addressing a discussion marking the ninth death 
anniversary of former president Md Zillur Rahman at Jatiya Press Club (JPC) here.
 
Zillur Rahman Parishad organised the discussion with its president and 
chairman of the board directors of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangthsa Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique in the chair.
 
Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Hoque Shameem 
addressed the discussion as special guest.
 
Hasan said not only BNP, but there is also another group who thinks that they are very wise.

 “The positions of India and Pakistan are behind Bangladesh. Our position is in 94th while India’s position is in 136th and Pakistan’s position is in 126th. But, they have no statement about this. They were not beside the countrymen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even, the group was not seen during any cyclone or crisis. But, they often publish reports,” he added.
 
The minister said, in fact, the CPD (Centre for Policy Dialogue) doesn’t carry out any research works rather they publish reports which are politically motivated. 

The prices of all essentials have increased in Europe and even the price of bread has increased 80 percent, he added.

He said the prices of all food products have increased in the United States also while prices of all commodities have increased across the globe including India and Pakistan due to COVID-19 and the war. The prices of commodities have also increased a little bit in Bangladesh, but less than those countries, he added.
 
The CPD, he said, tries to pose as wise by circulating miss information and CPD is one of the organisations which has no statement over the happiness index. “I was very astonished to see the report of CPD,” said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

 
He said prices of some daily essentials, which are mainly import-based, have increased. The government has started to give those essentials through cards among one crore people so that they could buy low prices, he added.
 
He said, in fact, they have no other works except finding faults. They don’t like it as the people are happy, he added.

 Hasan said there will be criticisms, but criticism should not be like blind or dumb.
 
Paying rich tribute to former president late Zillur Rahman, the minister said he took the politics as a vow. His contribution during the crisis of the party and the politics to the country would ever be remembered, Hasan added.

 Shameem said late president Zillur Rahman was a big leader and he did politics for the welfare of the countrymen. He was always beside Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he added.

 AL Dhaka city South unit vice president Dilip Kumar Roy, AL leader MA 
Karim and Bangamata Parishad president Sheikh Shah Alam, among others, 
addressed the discussion while Zillur Rahman Parishad general secretary Md Akhtaruzzaman conducted it.