PM shows unique generosity to vengeful Khaleda: Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has set an example by showing generosity to vengeful Khaleda Zia.

"Sheikh Hasina showed generosity to Khaleda Zia who showed extreme level of vengeance," he told journalists before a meeting with Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (COAB) representatives at the secretariat.

Referring to some examples of vengeance shown by Khaleda, the minister said Begum Zia observed her fake birthday on the martyrdom anniversary of Bangabandhu on 15 August by cutting cake.

"She perpetrated 21 August 2004 grenade attacks on anti-terrorism rally of Awami League attempting to kill AL president and then Opposition Leader Sheikh Hasina and make her party leaderless," he said.

During Khaleda's premiership, a total of 12 cases were lodged against Sheikh Hasina but AL government didn't lodge a single case against Khaleda, he added.

All the cases against Khaleda Zia were filed during military backed caretaker government regime and trial in those cases are being held and she has been serving jail term.

About BNP's allegation that the government is not allowing Khaleda Zia's treatment abroad by misinterpreting law, Hasan said the government is not giving any misinterpretation of law by any means.

If they think so, they can go to court, he added.

"Showing proper respect to Khaleda Zia that how much arrogant that she didn't allow Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to enter her house to console her son's death. The premier stood 20 minutes at the entrance of her house but the door was not opened," he said.

Hasan said Begum Zia not only hatched conspiracy to kill Sheikh Hasina rather she perpetrated an attempt to abduct the premier's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy in the USA by hiring FBI agents.

Later, the plot was unearthed and that agent has been brought to book, he added.

During the tenure of Khaleda Zia, an agreement was signed with a Netherlands company for procuring some computers but the government had canceled the deal as the name of the company was similar to the name of Bangabandhu's granddaughter 'Tulip', daughter of Sheikh Rehana.

"Following her husband military ruler Ziaur Rahman's footprints, Begum Zia also again rehabilitated the killers of Bangabandhu."

"Begum Zia showed too much vengeance but Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina showed unfrequented generosity. Would BNP show it?" he questioned.

Asked why BNP doesn't want to take part in the polls, he said being convicts BNP chief Begum Zia and her son Tarique Rahman cannot take part in the elections, the party doesn't want to join it and the top two leaders don't want to let anyone become a leader by joining the polls.

Replying to a query over the Jagannath University authorities' directives asking the married female students to leave dormitories and sit male and female students separately at the university buses, the minister said he became very astonished to know that such a decision a university has taken.

"I think the decision of not allowing any female student to stay at dormitory if she got married is very illogical. And another decision that male and female students will have to sit in separate portions of a bus is very unrealistic. I can't understand why a university can take such decisions," he said.

The information minister said he will draw the attention of his cabinet college education minister over the matter as she is the concerned minister on this issue.