Dhaka: Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has criticized the Awami League regime, stating that journalists who attempted even minimal journalism faced repression.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Asif Mahmud expressed his views in a post on his verified Facebook page, where he accused the regime of suppressing press freedom. He remarked that Sheikh Hasina's press conferences were characterized by a lack of critical questioning, with journalists facing oppression for practicing even basic journalism.
Asif Mahmud further commented that the suppression of the media was a contributing factor to the inevitability of the July Uprising. In his post, he highlighted the 'July Prelude' poster series created by artist Debashis Chakraborty, noting that the themes of posters numbered 9 and 10 specifically address the absence of media independence and the culture of flattery under the Awami League.
The adviser emphasized that the posters, part of the July Commemoration Programme, aim to elucidate the reasons behind the July Uprising and the events that unfolded during that period. Debashis Chakraborty, an active participant in the uprising, designed the series to shed light on these issues.
Asif Mahmud also referred to Sheikh Hasina's repeated assertion, "I have no expectations... I have come to give the people," suggesting that the reality behind such statements has become apparent. He accused the Awami League era of being marked by large-scale looting under state patronage.
Furthermore, he mentioned that posters numbered 5 to 8 focus on the theme of looting during the regime. Although the original plan was to release ten posters, the artist agreed to expand the series, as noted by the adviser.