Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Monday said BNP leaders, who carried out propaganda against the Padma Bridge extremely, should seek an apology to the Prime Minister and the nation before using the bridge.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has constructed the Padma Bridge for all. But, the BNP leaders including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir have no shame. If they have shame, before riding on the bridge they should have told ‘we are seeking an apology from the nation and the prime minister for spreading propaganda.”
“They are using the bridge secretly as they have no shame,” he said while talking to journalists at the meeting room of his ministry at the secretariat after returning from the COP27 event held in Egypt, according to BSS.
Presenting an expenditure of the Padma Bridge and Hardinge Bridge, Hasan said the standard of value of anything is determined based on the gold rate as the price rate of gold is static. As per the account, the cost of the Padma Bridge is one-fifth of the cost of the Hardinge Bridge, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
Replying to another query over BNP’s movement against the government, the minister said they are telling for long 14 years that they will topple the government and they would not return home until bringing down it (government). But, the reality is that they go home after every rally as the countrymen are not with them, he added.
He said, “Their (BNP) movements benefited us and our activists are becoming stronger and preparing themselves to combat the evil forces. Awami League has a quality that if someone punches, the workers of the party are united and energised. And the Jubo League rally is the manifestation of that where millions of youths were gathered.”
Replying to another query over an allegation of BNP’s secretary general, the minister said BNP had made the country champions consecutively five times. BNP had collected tolls from every business through ‘Hawa Bhaban’ when they were in power, he added.
He said Mirza Fakhrul Islam has told that a national government will be formed under the leadership of Tarique Rahman after toppling the government. But the people of Bangladesh never accepted it, said Hasan.
About his participation at COP27, the minister said the developed nations have said that they gave 82 billion dollars to the international fund last year to tackle the impacts of climate change.
He said there is a big secret deception as the Paris Agreement on global climate finance clearly states that 'In addition to present ODA (Overseas Development Assistance)' which means that the ODA given by the developed nations will not be considered to be included in this fund. Additional money will be paid to the Climate Fund, he added.
“We do not agree with this,” said Hasan.