DHAKA, May 8, 2022 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan
Mahmud today said Awami League wants an election participated by all
political parties of the country, including the BNP.
 
"We (AL) want BNP's participation in the next general election though the
party (BNP) was born through the backdoor," the minister told the reporters
prior to addressing a function in observance of the International Mother's
Day in the city's CIRDUP auditorium. Universal Medical College Hospital organised the event.

Hasan informed that a six-hour-long meeting of the Awami League Working
Committee was held yesterday where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave
instructions to hold the party conference regularly.

"She also put emphasis on forming different sub-committees," Hasan said,
adding, "The Premier also told the meeting that we (AL) want a participatory
election of all political parties, including BNP."
 
Replying to a query, the minister said there is no possibility of a non-
partisan government during the election period as per the constitution of the
country.
 
The current governments discharge the duty of polls-time government in all
the democratic countries across the globe including India, the United
Kingdom, Australia, the USA and European countries, he added.

Besides, he said, elections are held under the Election Commission (EC), but
not under the government. The administrative officials are not under the
government when the polls are held as they perform responsibility under the
EC, he added.

In fact, BNP is afraid of polls, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general
secretary.

Replying to another query about a recent report of the Reporters Sans
FrontiSres (RSF), the minister said the report is malicious, objectionable
and unacceptable.
 
Replying to another query over the recent rail incident, he said, "I don't
think that the minister (railways minister) lied. I don't know all relatives
of my wife and none of us knows all of our all relatives. I also think that
it is not appropriate to suspend anyone on the instruction of the wife of a
minister."
 
 
 
 
During the function, the minister paid rich tributes to all parents of the
world, saying the mother's affection for her children is universal and cannot
be compared to others. An enlightened mother is needed to build an
enlightened nation, he added.
 
Hasan said following the directives of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina, the government has enacted a special act for providing support
to the parents and even many cases were lodged under the act.

The prime minister's former principal secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser
addressed the function as the guest of honour with the hospital's chairman
Prity Chakrabarty in the chair.

Children often proud mothers also addressed the function while the hospital's
managing director Dr Ashish Kumar Chakrabarty conducted it.
 
The awardees 10 mothers are Nadera Begum, Sajeda Khatun, Taskina Faruque,
Jostna Rani Dhar, Lutfa Begum, Akthara Khanam, Jharna Ghose, Suraia
Chowdhury, Sharmin Akther and Pratima Rani Das.