BNP-Jamaat torched data centre to detach country from rest of the world: Arafat
“The international media only focused on the skirmishes between students, but not on the government's efforts for a peaceful solution to the crisis and meeting the demands of the agitating students," he says
The BNP-Jamaat activists torched the country's central data centre to disengage the country from the rest of the world as part of a plot taking the advantage of the students' quota movement, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat said yesterday.
"In the absence of the internet, we have fallen in trouble. We could not communicate with the outside world. At that time, the syndicate of disinformation carried out a campaign from abroad," he told reporters at a briefing along with three other ministers.
The state minister said the miscreants virtually used students as shields while turning the peaceful movement into a violent one.
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Law Minister Anisul Huq briefed the journalists while Public Administration Minister Farhad Hossain and Education Minister Muhibul Hassan Chowdhury were present.
Arafat said, "According to their plan BNP-Jamaat kept backup to keep them connected with the outside world after disruption of internet service. Using their back up system they supplied misinformation to global media only in their favour.
"The international media only focused on the skirmishes between students, but not on the government's efforts for a peaceful solution to the crisis and meeting the demands of the agitating students," he said.
The government has come to a peaceful settlement with the students, but foreign media didn't cover it, he added.
The state minister said the government is trying to restore the internet service as soon as possible. "Journalists should inform the whole world about what actually happened in Bangladesh."
About the destruction of public properties by hooligans, Arafat said, "Terrorists, attackers, militants, BNP and Jamaat-Shibir intruded the students' peaceful movement to destroy major infrastructures like BTV, Setu Bhaban, data centre and toll plaza.
"When you are under attack, you would certainly fight-back in self-defence. So, the attackers are responsible for the casualties…Everyone responsible for the casualties would be brought to justice."
