DHAKA, Nov 23, 2023 (BSS)- Urging journalists to hold their pens against BNP’s arson attacks, Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said BNP is carrying out attacks on people and public transports in the name movements.

BNP is announcing programmes of carrying out arson attacks from hide in the name of politics, he said.

The minister was distributing cheques of Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust among journalists at Tathya Bhaban auditorium here.

Subversive activities can never be political programme, Hasan Mahmud said urging journalists to hold their pen against the arsonists and miscreants.
The minister said as many as 32 journalists sustained injuries in BNP attacks on October 28. Out of them, more than 20 reporters were working in BNP beat for long, he said.

The information minister said BNP-Jamaat killed journalists whenever they were in power. About 14 journalists including Humayun Kabir Balu, Manik Saha, Saiful Islam Mukul and Shamsur Rahman in Jashore and Khulna were killed during BNP regime, he said.

Dr Hasan said BNP leaders sounded highly that they would resist the upcoming election by creating tough movements along with their allies. But, six political parties left the alliance yesterday declaring their decision to take part in the coming poll, he said.

He said it’s not police or any government agency but BNP leaders kept their central office under lock in key after the mayhem on October 28. Now BNP leaders find none to open their office, he said.

“BNP leaders have lost courage of opening their office. How they will do politics?” he posed question.

Hasan Mahmud said the upcoming election will be held as per schedule time with huge participation of voters.

About the journalist welfare trust, the minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is journalist friendly and the trust is one of the unique examples. The trust has emerged as an organization of reliability for journalists, he said adding the Premier has allocated special allocation of Taka 10 crore recently.

Dr Hasan distributed cheques of Taka one crore fifty three lakh and fifty thousand to 186 journalists and their family members.

Earlier, the minister inaugurated the new office of the trust at DFP.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) president Omar Faruque and secretary general Dip Azad, among others, addressed the function with trust managing director Subhash Chanda in the chair.

Jatiya Press Club president Farida Yesmin, general secretary Shyamol Datta, Principal Information Office Shahenur Mia, DG of Mass Communication Nizamul Kabir and DG of DFP SM Golam Kibria, were present, among others.