Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said actually BNP leaders don't want that the party chief Begum Khaleda Zia gets release from jail.
"If they wanted her release, they must have faced the cases in court with eminent lawyers. But they didn't face the cases," he said.
Hasan added: "If Begum Khaleda Zia gets release, Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other BNP leaders will lose their supremacy. That is why, they don't want her release."
The minister was addressing as the chief guest a discussion marking 103rd birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Children's Day at Krishibid Institution, Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium at Khamarbari here.
Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, said: "Some days ago, BNP leaders said that Khaleda Zia is so ill that she will die unless she is not taken abroad. Hearing their comments, it seemed that they wanted Khaleda's death. But she has become well getting treatment from Bangladeshi physicians."
He said if anyone hears BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's comments, he or she will think that there has been no development in the country in the last 14 years.
"They (BNP leaders) held public rallies after crossing Padma Bridge by driving vehicle and then they said no development took place in the country. After crossing flyovers, they said no progress took place," he mentioned.
Urging Fakhrul and other BNP leaders to look back in the past, he said: "What did you gift the country? You made the country champions in corruption for five consecutive times".
During the BNP period, series bombings were carried out at 500 locations across the country and the country saw the emergence of terrorists like ‘Shaykh Abdur Rahman’ and ‘Bangla Bhai’, he recalled.
"You had run a parallel government by building Hawa Bhaban. You had also built 'Khwab Bhaban' for entertainment. You had installed electric poles but could not provide electricity. Today Sheikh Hasina reached electricity every house," he said.
Hasan came down heavily on Mirza Fakhrul for issuing statement on Monday demanding resignation of the road transport and bridges minister.
The minister said the country has witnessed a remarkable a progress in roads and highways under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Road Transport and Bridges Ministry did the task and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader is the minister of the ministry, he said.
"Today's Padma Bridge has been implemented under the ministry. Karnaphuli Tunnel, Metro-Rail are also being implemented under the ministry. He (Obaidul Quader) is a successful minister. BNP is now demanding his resignation. Actually Mirza Fakhrul Islam should resign," he said.
"Now there is no issue. BNP didn't get any benefit by making issue over Khaleda Zia's illness. December 10 programme has also failed. Their leaders and workers didn't respond to their programme. Now there is no issue. Now they are talking about road accidents," he said.
About the country's development and progress, he said today Pakistan wants to be country like Bangladesh.
"These are successes of establishing the country by Bangabandhu and running the country by Jananetri Sheikh Hasina. Today the entire world is lauding the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," he said.
Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, Awami League Organizing Secretary Mirza Azam, MP, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Central Working Committee Member Anwar Hossain, AL National Committee Member Abdul Baten Mia and Dhaka district AL General Secretary Paniruzzaman Tarun addressed the discussion, among others.
Dhaka district AL President Benjir Ahmed, MP, chaired it.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha