CHATTOGRAM, Dec 19, 2021 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said Bangladesh could have made progress more in 50 years if BNP-Jamaat did not resort to negative politics and hatching conspiracy against the country.

  He urged BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir not to talk like an ignorant, being an educated person.

  Replying to a question that BNP would not join dialogue for formation of Election Commission, he said BNP is infected with the words 'no disease' and it says no to everything.

  They will not join dialogue, elections, including the union parishad polls, he said, "Now I am afraid when BNP itself becomes annihilated for its negative politics."

   Dr Hasan Mahmud said this while relying to a question from journalists before the inauguration of Silver Jubilee and 24-hour broadcasting program of Bangladesh Television Chattogram Center on Sunday evening.

  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated virtually the 24-hour broadcasting activities of Bangladesh Television Chattogram Center as the chief guest.

  Dr Hasan Mahmud, also Joint General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League (AL), was present as the special guest.

  Information and Broadcasting Secretary Md Mokbul Hossain chaired the programme while deputy minister for education Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nawfel was also present as special guest.

   Director General of Bangladesh Television Sohrab Hossain, Chattogram city mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury and Bangladesh Television Chattogram Centre general manager Nitai Kumar Bhattacharjee also spoke on the occasion.

  Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that Bangabandhu daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina headed the country's development in her fourth times tenure.

  "When Bangabandhu was assassinated, the economic growth of Bangladesh was 9.54 percent. We have not yet been able to surpass that GDP growth rate," he added.

  Mentioning the remarks of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakrul that 'during the tenure of the present government, no development has taken place in Bangladesh', Dr. Hasan Mahmud said he knew that Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is a wise and intelligent person but Fakhrul has lost common sense and become irrational due to his blind inclination to the party.

  "I have became astonished . . . I request Mirza Fakhrul not to talk like an uneducated person," he added.

   The progress Bangladesh has made in last 50 years is an example before the world, he said, adding that Pakistan was ahead of Bangladesh in all respects in 1970-71 but it is now lagging behind Bangladesh in all indicators.

   Even, Bangladesh has surpassed India in per capita income and poverty rates come down below 20 per cent from 40 per cent, he said, adding that but BNP secretary general could not see the surveys of the World Bank and IMF.

   He said BTV Chattogram centre is not a regional centre rather it is a terrestrial channel and its programmes are viewed by 75 percent people of the country without cable network. It is being broadcast all over the country through cable network, he said, adding that programmes of this centre can be watched from any part of the world using app.

   BVT centre will be set up in six more divisions soon and then BTV will have 10 channels and the ECNEC has already approved it, he said.

   "I hope that work on these TV centres begins within the next one month" he added.

   Deputy Minister for education Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said film world is a profitable sector across the globe but it is not like that in Bangladesh.

  The information ministry has formulated a specific policy that has opened a scope for foreign investment in film, the deputy minister added.