DHAKA, Nov 16, 2022 (BSS) – Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has called upon media to play objective role in all spheres and sought media support in taking ahead the country.

He was addressing a view-exchange meeting with journalists arranged by Information and Broadcasting Ministry at Dhaka Club here tonight.

Information and Broadcasting Minister and AL Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud delivered the welcome speech, while Bangladesh Press Council Chairman Justice Md Nizamul Huq Nasim was also present on the occasion.

Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, AL advisory council member Mozaffar Hossain Paltu, Presidium Members Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Abdur Rahman, Shajahan Khan and Advocate Qamrul Islam, Organising Secretaries Mirza Azam and SM Kamal Hossain and Deputy Publicity and Publications Secretary Aminul Islam Amin also joined it.

Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad, daily Observer editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, Kal Bela editor Abed Khan, Ajker Patrika Editor Professor Golam Rahman, Jatiya Press Club (JPC) former President Muhammad Shafiqur Rahman, Jugantor editor Saiful Alam, Bangladesh Pratidin editor Nayeem Nizam, Manabzamin editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, New Age editor Nurul Kabir, Bhorer Kagoj editor Shyamal Dutta, Amader Natun Somoy editor Naimul Islam Khan, Bangladesh Post editor Sharif Shahabuddin, Ekattor Television Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mozzamel Babu, Channel I director and news editor Shykh Seraj, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) former President Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul and  incumbent President Omar Faruque, JPC President Farida Yasmin, BFUJ secretary general Dip Azad, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Sohel Haider Chowdhury and Journalists Welfare Trust Managing Director Subhash Chandra Badal were present among the media personalities.      
   
“Awami League believes in democracy and practices democracy. Our prime agenda is to safeguard people’s lives  and property. We need your (media) support to this end,” Quader said.

He said after the brutal assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members, Indemnity Ordinance was issued to protect the killers and history of the liberation war was distorted completely.

AL leaders and workers were killed across the country, he mentioned.

Pointing to BNP, he said those who don't practice democracy how they will establish it the country.

Questioning BNP why did it scrap the section 7 from the party’s constitution, Quader said BNP did it for keeping corrupt and convict people in the party.

Everyone can remember how BNP killed people when it was in power, he said, adding that BNP wanted to kill Awami League President and the then Opposition Leader Sheikh Hasina by carrying out gruesome grenade attacks on AL rally on August 21, 2004.

“Now they (BNP) are talking about humanity,” he said.

Quader said: “Though we have flaws, we are working for the nation. There can be difference in opinion and politics but we don’t do politics of killings. We didn’t give counter programme rather we are working ahead of party council”.

Dr Hasan Mahmud, in his address, said any government in the world cannot work 100 percent flawlessly as some flaws always exist in works.

He urged media to showcase bigger achievements of the nation without exaggerating the flaws.

Noting that media has flourished during the Awami League government’s tenure, the minister also called upon the media to project the achievements of the Awami League government during the world crisis period.