Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League joint general secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud said that Bangladesh was abstaining from voting in the UN due to strategic reasons. India also refrained from that. Giving his opinion on all issues, he asked whether the BNP general secretary would also explain India's abstinence.
The minister was responding to a question from local journalists after inaugurating the 15th International Children's Film Festival at the Bangladesh Film Archive Auditorium in the capital's Agargaon on Saturday evening. State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak addressed the function as a special guest.
Replying to a question on the BNP secretary general's remarks that "refraining from voting in the UN resolution condemning Russia is a violation of the constitution", the minister said, "All countries, including Bangladesh, abstain from voting in the UN at different times. This time when the proposal was brought to the UN, many countries of the world including India abstained from voting. My question to Mr Mirza Fakhrul - if he gives an explanation of why India abstained from voting.
"Our foreign policy is friendship with all. And we are definitely against any conflict. We want peace to prevail in the world. For strategic reasons, Bangladesh abstained from voting at the UN. India was also restrained’, he said. At this time, in response to questions about the increase in commodity prices. Hasan said, "When there was a famine in Bengal in the forties, few kilograms of rice could be obtained for 16 cents. That is to say, we have to see whether the purchasing power of the people has increased with the price of goods. In the last 13 years, the per capita income of the people of the country has increased almost four and a half times and the purchasing power of the low income people has increased almost three times and so has the purchasing power of the middle income people. Moreover, the rate of inflation of consumer goods in the country is much lower than in Europe and America.”
Earlier, while inaugurating the film festival, the minister said spiritual and human as well as ethnic development is needed along with material development to bring the country to the address of Bangabandhu's dream. And children's films play a special role in the development of the nation by developing the intellect, thinking, patriotism and affection of children and teenagers.
Speaking as the special guest, State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak said, "Today's children's filmmaker can be the winner of the next national and international film awards." Today's children and teenagers will build the future of Bangladesh, such an arrangement is very important for its preparation.'Children's Film Society Bangladesh' President Professor Dr Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Festival Advisor Filmmaker Morshedul Islam, Director General of Film Archive Md. Nizamul Kabir, Festival Director Young Filmmaker Shahriar Al Mamun highlighted various aspects of the festival in their speeches.
During the week-long festival, 116 films made by children and adolescents from 36 countries are being screened at the Film Archive from 11 am to 6 pm.
