Information minister urges BNP not to do politics in troubled water

Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Friday urged BNP not to do politics in troubled water over the killing of Buet student Abrar Fahad. "They (BNP) are trying to make water troubled over the killing of Abrar. They also tried to make water troubled in the past, but failed to do so," he said while addressing a human chain programme, formed by Bangladesh Swadhinota Parishad, in front of Jatiya Press Club here.

Calling upon AL men to remain alert to resist the plots of BNP, Hasan warned the party that if BNP leaders want to make water troubled and do politics in troubled water, they would be resisted strictly.

Before raising any demand by anyone, he said, most of the suspects of the Abrar killing were arrested following the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hasan, also Awami League publicity and publication secretary, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already assured that maximum punishment will be ensured for those involved in the Abrar murder.

Buet student Sabekun Nahar Sony was killed in a gun battle over tender between two rival groups of students on the campus during the regime of BNP in 2002, he said.

"Did Chhatra Dal or BNP take any step to punish the perpetrators?" he questioned.

About Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent Delhi visit, the information minister said BNP is carrying out propaganda against the government over the agreements signed between Bangladesh and India during her visit.

Even they (BNP leaders) did not read the agreements, he said, but they have been conducting propaganda against the government and announced programmes over the deals.

The politics of BNP is based on falsehood, Hasan said, adding "Lying through holding press conferences is your (BNP leaders) politics."

The government always welcomes criticism, he said: "Criticise us, but do not criticise like an ignorant".

There is also propaganda that the government will export national gas, but the thing is that it will export LPG, not national gas, to India, the AL leader said.

"We will import LPG from abroad and then we will export bottled LPG after adding value to it," he added.

Hasan said a newspaper published report that India would set radars in the Bay of Bengal which is totally false and fabricated.

"But the reality is that India will give us grant for setting up radars to check illegal fishing in the bay. The radars will be the property of the Coast Guard and they will operate those," he added.

Chaired by Bangladesh Swadhinota Parishad adviser Barrister Zakir Hossain, the function was addressed, among others, by general secretary of AL Dhaka South City unit Shahe Alam Murad, AL leader MA Karim and Akhter Hossain, Swadhinota Parishad president Jinnat Ali Khan, its senior vice president Sheikh Nowshed Ali and general secretary Shahadat Hossain.