No question on holding dialogue over caretaker govt: Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said there is no question about holding dialogue with the BNP over an election-period caretaker government.

“The BNP wants to create chaos in the country. There is no need to hold dialogue as the purpose of the BNP is only to establish a caretaker government,” he said.a caretaker

The minister made the remarks while replying to a query from reporters after uncovering a book titled ‘Bangladesh at a Glance’, published by the Department of Films and Publications (DFP), at the ministry here.

Dr Hasan said the present government in line with the constitution will run the poll-time government and there is no obligation to form an election-time government in the constitution.

The Premier will take a decision about the size of the election-time government, whether the size of the government will be small or all the cabinet members will be included or someone from the alliance will be inserted into the government, he added.

He said the BNP would have a chance to be a part of the poll-time government if the party currently remains in the parliament.

Criticizing BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi as he alleged that the law enforcers are being used to secure the ruling party’s interests, the information minister said the government has been able to curb the militancy in the country as the law enforcers are working with sincere efforts. The situation of the country’s law and order is good now, he noted.

He said as the law enforcers have taken actions against their (BNP) arsonists, they are now unable to carry out arson attacks. The law enforcers are performing their duties by taking actions against the terrorists and accused persons. “The forces are not being used for political purposes,” said Dr Hasan.

Over the recent incidents between Gono Odhikar Parishad convener Reza Kibria and member secretary Nurul Haque Nur, the information minister said they have created jokes in politics.

They are busy blaming each other on television and they have no relations with countrymen, he added.

He said, “Their argument is nothing, but a joke in politics . . it is very humiliating for them”.

Criticising a comment made by Reza Kibria over Nur’s ties with the Awami League, the information minister said he (Reza) said a lot of things while Nur also brought many allegations against Kibria.

Many people, earlier, have made such allegations against Nur at different times and there is no connection between Nur and the ruling party, he mentioned.

Dr Hasan said Palestine’s ambassador to Bangladesh, at a press conference, had claimed that Nur held meetings with Israeli intelligence at least three times. But, Nur didn’t give any proper reply to the allegation, he added.

About the book, Dr Hasan said it has been published to fulfill the requirements of Bangladesh’s foreign mission.

“It is very important to build up the image of the country before the global community,” he added.

Even, he said, many don’t know that Bangladesh has the longest beach in the world.

DFP director general SM Golam Kibria and director (admin) Mohammad Ali Sarker, among others, were present at the function. (BSS)