DHAKA, May 31, 2022 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said Ziaur Rahman would remain as a murderer and betrayer in the pages of history.

"Ziaur Rahman tainted the politics of Bangladesh and he started the trend of corruption and looting in the country's economy. Zia was one of the main perpetrators of Bangabandhu assassination. He also killed hundreds of soldiers of armed forces to cling to power. For this, Zia will remain as a murderer and betrayer in the history," he said.

The minister said this to reporters after addressing a function marking a photograph exhibition 'Bangabandhu o Rupashi Bangla Alokchithra Pradarshani o Sonmanona-2022' jointly organized by Bangladesh Photo Journalists Association (BPJA) and Shilpakala Academy at an auditorium of the academy here.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid and Director General of Shilpakala Academy Liakat Ali Lucky, among others, addressed the function.

Hasan said BNP didn't hold the trial of Zia killing. BNP was in power for two times under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia, but they didn't hold the trial of the killing.

Replying to a query over BNP's recent activities, the minister said they are holding meetings with different so-called parties and none know the name of those parties' general secretaries or presidents, which is ridiculous, he added.

He said the parties are nothing but only signboard-based, adding: "I don't know what will come from the meetings with those signboard-based parties except publishing news.

In the function, the minister said a picture is stronger than a word and the photo journalists are working by taking risk. Even, they wait for a picture for days, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

The minister hoped that the photo journalists will focus the unprecedented development of the country under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through their photography.

Khalid said the photo journalists had played a pivotal role in revealing the real history of the country to the new generation by exposing various moments and incidents of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's life and works. They (photo journalists) encouraged the new generation by presenting different moments of language movement, 1969's uprising, the great Liberation War and 1990's movement against autocrat government, he added.

Academy director Mini Karim, BPJA president Golam Mostafa, general secretary Kazal Hazra and convener of the function Moin Uddin, among others, also addressed the function.

One hundred photographs on Bangabandhu's life and works and 100 photographs on nature will be exhibited in the week-long exhibition.