Write against the arson carried by BNP: Info Minister calls journalists

Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr. Hasan Mahmud urged the journalists to write against the arson carried out by BNP. He told, ‘These cannot be political agendas. Please pick up the pen and write against it.’

He made this call while speaking as the chief guest during the cheque distribution of the Journalist Welfare Trust at the Tathya Bhaban (Information Building) Auditorium in the capital’s Kakrail on Thursday afternoon.

Broadcasting Minister said, ‘On October 28, 32 journalists were beaten and injured in the name of BNP rally. A journalist was dragged to the ground and beaten. It has never happened before that so many journalists were injured in one day in Bangladesh.

Hasan Mahmud said, ‘when they were in power, they killed 14 journalists in 7 years only in Khulna and Jashore area including Humayun Kabir Balu of Khulna, Manik Saha, Saiful Islam Mukul of Jashore, Shamsur Rahman. I wander why BNP-Jamaat is angry with journalists and they have killed journalists whenever they were in power.’

The minister said, ‘BNP said that with the support of the alliance, they are trying to hold the tougher movement and will stop the elections. But those who gave them air also ran out of air and yesterday 6 parties including 3 registered parties left their 12 party alliance. Alliance members are also fleeing and have announced to participate in the elections. My concern is, the way the Trinamool BNP is growing, where does the BNP stand?

Hasan Mahmud said about the locked BNP office, ‘The administration did not give this lock, they locked it and left. They don’t have someone to open a lock. They have lost the courage to open a lock and sit there, how they do politics! And the BNP police locked our office, I was there, we broke the lock and entered.’

Hasan Mahmud said, “Let’s all take the country forward together.” Save the country from this incendiary-anarchy, our government is determined to eliminate the anti-national forces that created this incendiary anarchy.’

Regarding the Journalist Welfare Trust, the Information Minister said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a journalist-friendly, and this trust is a unique example. Today Journalist Welfare Trust has become a place of trust for journalists. More than 10,000 journalists have been given a grant of 10,000 taka as a one-time assistance during the pandemic. The Prime Minister has given a special allocation of Tk. 10 crore for this.

On this day, the Minister and guests handed over cheques worth Tk. 1 crore 53 lakh 50 thousand to 186 journalists and their families.

Inauguration of new office of Journalist Welfare Trust

Earlier, Information Minister Hasan Mahmud inaugurated the new office of Journalist Welfare Trust on the second floor of the old DFP building in the Information Bhaban complex.

BFUJ-Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists President Omar Farooq, Secretary General Deep Azad, National Press Club President Farida Yasmin, General Secretary Shyamal Dutt and others were present at the event.