DHAKA, Oct 18, 2022 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said there is no need of Awami League as Jubo League (JL) alone is enough to tackle the BNP.

“We didn’t declare to tackle them till now. They (BNP) would not get the path to flee if we declare to face them,” he said, addressing a discussion and cultural function at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital.

Bangladesh Awami Jubo League organized the programme marking the 59th birthday of Sheikh Russel, the youngest son of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which is observed as Sheikh Russel Day across the country.

Suborna Mustafa, MP, addressed the discussion as the special guest with JL chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash in the chair. Sheikh Russel’s cousin Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel, MP, addressed it as the guest of honour while JL general secretary Md Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil was present.

Hasan said Jubo League is a vanguard of Awami League. “I would like to urge Jubo League leaders and activists to remain alert to tackle the terrorists taking the people with them. BNP wants to create anarchies. They had created chaos across the country in 2013, 2014 and 2015. They had even uprooted trees and attacked on domestic animals and poultry birds. But the government didn’t fall down,” he added.

The minister said the government of Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had combated that movement and anarchies. “And we know how to tackle the terrorists and we will be there whenever needed to combat them,” said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

In the beginning of his speech, the minister paid rich tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib, Sheikh Russel and other martyrs of August 15.

He said today is the 59th birthday of Sheikh Russel and he was only 10-year-old when he was killed brutally on August 15, 1975. Sheikh Russel was there holding the hand of Roma, an employee of the house Dhanmondi-32 and who is alive till now, he added.

He said Sheikh Russel was killed when he was telling ‘I will go to my mother’ and the killers took him away.

He said Parash was five years old and his younger brother Taposh was three and a half years old when Jubo League founder Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni and his wife Begum Arzu Moni was killed. Human rights were violated extremely on that day and Khandaker Mustaq was the kingpin of the brutal killing while killer Ziaur Rahman was his main ally, he added.

Zia had enacted the indemnity act to stop the trial of the killing of Bangabandhu, who had taught the slogan to the nation ‘Bir Bangalee Ashro Dhoro . . . Bangladesh Swadhin Koro’, ‘Tomar amar Thikana … Padma Megna Jamuna’, ‘Tumi ke, ami ke … Bangalee Bangalee’ and had established an independent state.

He wondered that the trial of the murders of Father of the Nation and the greatest Bangalee of all times Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nesa Mujib, Sheikh Russel, Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and most of their family members, won’t be held!

Thus, Hasan said, Ziaur Rahman had violated the human rights extremely. And currently his party – BNP - is telling about so-called human rights issue, he added.

Suborna urged the young generation to be united under the dynamic leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Jewel recalled the childhood of Sheikh Russel.

Parash said a demand has been raised to try all the conspirators behind the brutal killing.