“BNP is not on the side of the people in times of disasters, they just talk," said Dr Hasan Mahmud, Information Minister and joint general secretary of the Awami League.
"Politics is for the welfare of the people, for the service of the country and society. But even in the midst of the floods, the BNP leaders sat at the Press Club party office in Dhaka's Naya Paltan and only made statements, gossiping, not on the side of the victims. Now maybe they will do some photo sessions after our speech, but not really stand by people. On the other hand, our leaders and activists have jumped on the orders of Bangabandhu Kanya as soon as the floods started, giving their lives for the people,” he said.
He made the remarks when reporters at the secretariat on Monday afternoon and questioned the BNP's various comments on the floods. The minister said, "As you know, the BNP leaders did not stand by the people even during the Corona period. Even then, the leaders and workers of our party stood by the people, the leaders and workers of our party jumped into the relief activities and the distribution of health care materials. As a result, five of the 71 members of the Awami League's central committee, including members of the cabinet, many members of the advisory council and members of parliament also died. But the BNP leaders and workers do not stand by the people in times of calamity, they only did photo sessions during the Corona period.”
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina spends sleepless nights in any calamity," he said. Hasan said, "The Prime Minister had said in the cabinet meeting eight to ten days ago that this time there could be floods in the country. He is not a meteorologist, yet he says it out of common sense. And it turned out that there was more than a thousand millimeters of rain in one day. The Prime Minister has instructed all members of the administration to jump in as soon as the flood situation arises, use the army and instruct our party leaders and workers to stand by the flood victims.”
"Our party leaders and activists themselves have been flooded, their houses have been submerged in the floods and yet they have jumped on the side of the flood victims along with the administration," said Hasan.
He said, "You have seen in various media, social media, television channels have also reported that the leaders and activists of our party stood by the flood victims and a BCL leader died while standing by the flood victims."
Awami League joint general secretary of BNP's various comments on the Padma Bridge. Hasan said, “The Padma Bridge is a pain for them. It is a matter of anguish for the BNP-Jamaat and those who opposed the Padma Bridge. Because they did not want this Padma Bridge. So it is irritating to become this Padma Bridge and even more irritating if it is inaugurated. They do not want the Padma Bridge to be inaugurated. They had hatched various conspiracies to thwart the inauguration, many conspiracies have been foiled.
They say all these things out of anger.”
The minister said, "The government is not holding any festival for the inauguration of Padma Bridge, it is holding public meetings and inauguration ceremonies. The inauguration of the Padma Bridge will not only increase the communication, trade and commerce of the people on both sides, but will also help in dealing with the floods. Since the people of Bangladesh are overjoyed with the construction of the Padma Bridge today and the people of the whole country have not only taken this Padma Bridge as a bridge, this bridge is a symbol of our nation's ability, honor, dignity, people's leader Sheikh Hasina's ability, her government capable. There will be a public meeting and opening ceremony on June 25.”
