State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat on Saturday put emphasis on making a vow to ensure honesty in disclosing information to establish peace in society.
“Existence of differences of opinion is a beauty of society and democracy. We all must agree on disclosing the true and correct information,” he said.
The state minister said this while speaking as the guest of honor at the Peace Ambassador's National Conference 2024 at the convention hall of Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) in the city’s Farmgate area in the morning.
At first, the truth must be acknowledged and then different opinions should be made, he said, adding, if the information is presented in a distorted way and any idea is created through it, then it will bring no good for anyone in society.
“So, we have to pledge that we will ensure honesty in disclosing authentic information,” Arafat said.
The Hunger Project Bangladesh, in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Democracy International and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, organized the conference.
Noting that it is the responsibility of all to verify the information, the state minister said if there is no attitude to accept the truth rather a tendency to distort information blending with politics, it will not help establish peace in society.
“First of all, I have to admit that regardless of my political ideology, I want to ensure my honesty in disclosing the authentic information. The truth might go in favor of someone and against someone. But it must be embraced,” Arafat said.
But falsehoods are spread in this society through many means, including social media, he said, adding that it is not fair to spread falsehood in favor of anyone’s political views or against a person she or she dislikes politically.
Due to some events and unwanted incidents that happened in different stages of Bangladesh’s political history, the country’s politics now stands on conflicts and disagreements, the state minister said and cited that incidents like August 15, 1975 took place in Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh has a history of blood. There are many reasons for arising disagreements and conflicts over it. But disagreements and conflicts will take all of us backward, regardless of our party affiliation,” he said.
Pointing that politics should have competitions and differences of opinion, Arafat said, “But rivalry and competition should be positive, not negative. Rivalry turns into conflict when negativity comes into it”.
By attaining capabilities through one's own effort, he or she should move forward positively through hard work, talent and self-sacrifice at every individual, team and group level, he said, adding, “If we can create an environment of positive competition, peace will be established”.
Urging all to remain united over the question of Bangladesh, the state minister said, the country was born through the Liberation War and it is now progressing forward.
“There will be no compromise over this key issue. There will be no compromise over the spirit based on which Bangladesh was born. Apart from that, we all have to go to the root of the Liberation War and be united regardless of the factions,” he added.
Noting that there is no room for radical evil forces like the anti-Liberation War and fundamentalist evil forces in the democratic environment as they destroy democracy, freedom of expression and peace, Arafat said, “We have to be united avoiding those evil forces to establish peace”.
“Hopefully, in the coming days, we will be able to show other countries of the world that along with the existence of competition, disagreements and differences of opinion, peace remains established here (in Bangladesh),” he hoped.
Expressing hope of taking the country's politics out of conflict, the state minister said there will remain differences of opinion, arguments and everything.
“Awami League, BNP will fight each other with arguments and words. There will be room for differences of opinion among us, but it will not be right to engage in any conflict and violence. We have to get out of these,” Arafat said.
Global Vice President and Country Director of the Hunger Project Bangladesh Badiul Alam Majumdar presided over the event while Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Mintu, Jatiya Party Presidium member Rana Md Sohel and former president of Bangladesh Communist Party Mujahidul Islam Selim were present at the function, among others.
