Arson terrorism can't mar voting festivity: Hasan

The voting festivity could not be marred through arson terrorism, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said today. 

"The leaders who are giving directives to do heinous crimes and subversive activities are also responsible for these crimes... A demand has been raised to take tough action against them," he said while exchanging views with reporters at YNT centre in the city's Deanzi Pukur Lane.

AL social welfare secretary Mohammad Aminul Islam was present in the meeting.

Hasan, also the Awami League joint general secretary, said, "One of our main tasks will be to root out the arson terrorists if we can form the government. These cannot be allowed to continue in a civilised country."

Dr Hasan said the international community has shown their keen interest in the poll. For this, the US, European Union, the United Nations, SAARC and OIC countries and other nations have already sent their observers, he added.

He hoped that the election will be held tomorrow in a free, fair and competitive manner with the participation of the voters. Awami League will get a landslide victory and Bangabandhu's daughter will be elected as the Prime Minister for the fifth time, he said.

The information minister hoped that the international community will raise their voice against the arson terrorists who are trying to foil the polls by hurling petrol bombs and killing innocent people and the community will assist to eliminate the terrorists.

He said the miscreants of BNP-Jamaat torched four bogies of Benapole Express in Gopibagh of Dhaka leaving nine killed till now and injuring many others. The BNP and Jamaat are carrying out the subversive activities after October 28 which are similar to those in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Criticising BNP's demand for an international investigation into the arson attack on train, Dr Hasan said it is BNP's bad habit to deny. Earlier a train was torched in the same area leaving four people, including a mother and her child, killed on the spot, he said.

He said there is the residence of BNP leader Mirza Abbas. All the culprits were arrested and they disclosed on whose orders they committed the previous incident, he said.

The minister said the arson terrorism is being unleashed under the directive of BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman. Photos and video footage of the subversive activities are being sent to London, he said, adding those could not be activities of a political party.

He said they (BNP-Jamaat) are enemies of the country and the nation. They are trying to foil the festive environment, he said.

Hasan Mahmud urged the countrymen to resist such individuals as they are enemies of the masses. 

He said the government is determined to eliminate them.