Information Minister and Awami League joint general secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud said, "The BNP is not just a liar, it is a fake political party. Forging the signatures of US Congressmen, lying on the phone of Indian Minister Amit Shah, distorting the statement of the German ambassador - all these incidents are proof
of that.”
He made the comment while responding to reporters in the meeting room of the Information Ministry at the Secretariat on Monday afternoon.
"It has never happened in our country in the recent past that the ambassador of a country like Germany has expressed such anger in the light of the statement of a political party.
The minister said, “BNP forged the signatures of six Congressmen a few years ago and released statements in their favor. Not only that, Khaleda Zia's press secretary Maruf Kamal once called reporters and said that Amit Shah had called BNP leader Begum Khaleda Zia. Amit Shah's office later said that Amit Shah did not make any phone call. All these incidents prove that BNP is a fake political party.”
Replying to a question on the statement of NOAB, the newspaper owners 'association, on the proposed media workers' law, the Information Minister said that NOAB has said that there is no need for this law.
“Their statement also said that since there is a Press Council, DFP, there is no need for this law. In fact the Press Council and the DFP do not work on job security for newspapers, television, radio, online media workers. There are no laws to protect journalists on television, radio or online,” he said.If this law is enacted for the protection of journalists, then it will not be possible to do what is being done by the media or if they do not give the appointment letter, then the salary, allowance, gratuity will have to be paid according to the rules, he added.
Hassan said, “One side of the owners has always wanted such a law to protect journalists and one of them does not want this lasw.”
"Are these statements really needed where we agree to amend the law?" Hassan Mahmud said.
Regarding the ongoing work on the draft law, he said, "First of all, the journalists' unions have informed me that they will submit a written proposal on the provisions of the proposed law which need to be amended.
Then we will discuss with the owner side, because the owners will implement it. It will then be considered by a parliamentary committee, which may have to take legal advice if there is too much change. The parliamentary committee will be able to say that well.”
