Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Hasan Mahmud said that BNP does not do politics for the people. They do politics for two, one is Khaleda Zia, and the other is Tariq Rahman. For both of them, their politics, whose main objective is to grab power, is whatever it may be. He said this in response to questions from journalists at the secretariat. In response to a question, the information minister said, “Awami League is a political party. Our program has always been and always will be. We have not leased the road to anyone. The purpose of the BNP is to create chaos by occupying the streets and creating chaos in the country by burning people and creating anarchy. The broadcasting minister said, ‘BNP marched from union to union and attacked our party’s peace rally a few days ago and burnt vehicles. Their arsonists and terrorists were seen there, marching with pistols raised—these were reported in the media. We believe in the power of the Awami League people. Awami League is a party that emerged from the streets. We are and will remain on the streets and no one will be allowed to create anarchy on the streets. Hasan Mahmud said in response to the comments of BNP leaders about the increase in the price of goods in Ramadan, “What is the purpose of BNP to say that the price of goods will increase in Ramadan in advance? Ramadan hasn’t come yet, one more month left. The purpose of saying that commodity prices will increase before now is to encourage them to increase commodity prices, to encourage dishonest traders, and hoarders to raise them, BNP is with you and will remain. It is for this purpose that they are saying the words. Earlier, French Ambassador Marie Masdupoui met Information Minister Hasan Mahmud at the Secretariat. A press release sent by the Ministry of Information to the media in the afternoon informed what was discussed in the meeting between the two. The press release said, after the meeting, the minister told the reporters, ‘Bangabandhu-1 satellite has been supplied by a French company and to know how it is working, I told the ambassador that the country’s All television channels are now broadcast through Bangabandhu Satellite. The minor problems that were there, in the beginning, are now gone. Bangabandhu satellite is ‘performing’ very well. Our government has taken up the plan to launch a second satellite. That has also been discussed. It has also been proposed by France. The information minister said, “The French nation is advanced in art culture. We Bengalis are also a nation rich in art and culture. There has been a discussion on how to increase cooperation in this regard. The French government is supporting the establishment of mass rapid transit in Dhaka. Mass rapid transit is also being studied in Chittagong, there has been a discussion on whether France can be involved in that case as well. Hasan Mahmud mentioned the French assistance in the country and said that France Development Cooperation is providing financial assistance to Bangladesh, they have provided assistance of 1.2 billion dollars in the last decade. 70 percent of that aid must be climate-related. The minister also said that there was a discussion about that. Besides, there was a discussion about the challenge of countering fake news, false news, and rumors on social media.
