Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud yesterday said BNP and their leaders are doing anti-state activities and hatching conspiracies against the country.
He said BNP as a political party could criticise the government’s activities but they could not engage in treasonous and anti-national activities by sending letters against the country abroad, to hire lobbyist firms for tarnishing the country’s reputation and destroying its trade and export.
Terming appointment of lobbyist firms a conspiracy against the country, Hasan said the government might carry out an investigation to find out where the illegal money went and who took it. “Action will be taken after the investigation. The prime minister also said this in her speech in Parliament recently,” he said.
The minister was speaking as the chief guest at a views-exchanging meeting with journalists after inaugurating Bangabandhu Corner at Bangladesh Television, Chattogram Center.
Hasan said there was no need for BNP to send letters to foreigners if they have confidence on country’s people. He said that BNP leaders and its secretary general were carrying out propaganda against the country by appointing lobbyists, to destroy the country’s reputation and to obstruct the country’s trade and export.
The minister said BNP has appointed lobbyists at different times and by appointing lobbyists they have tried to stop the trial of war criminals. He said Khaleda Zia had written an article in the Washington Times a few years ago to stop the GSP facility of Bangladesh.
Hasan said they have documents in support of BNP’s hiring of lobbyists in different times and the reports with documents have been published in media.
“We have ensured the freedom of the media. The level of freedom enjoyed by the media in our country is not found in many developing countries,” he said. He said that free flow of information is needed for a multi-dimensional social system. “The prime minister had approved private television for this. These private channels are operating very independently in Bangladesh,” he added.