Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Saturday said Sri Lankan leaders have followed BNP’s previous footsteps in fleeing their country.
Hasan Mahmud also advised the BNP leaders to look for their own escape-routes as well again.
Pointing fingers to BNP leaders, he said: "The way the Sri Lankan leaders are fleeing, the leaders of BNP had fled in same way before. Those who compare Sri Lanka to Bangladesh have long ago fled like Sri Lanka. They are saying these as they have bitter experiences like the prevailing Sri Lankan situation."
Hasan, also the ruling Awami League Joint General Secretary, made the remarks while addressing a meeting of grassroots representatives of Chattogram South District unit of Awami League at GEC Convention Centre here as the special guest, reports BSS.
Chattogram South District unit of Awami League President Moslem Uddin Ahmed presided over the meeting while its General Secretary Mofizur Rahman conducted it.
Awami League Presidium member Md Mosharraf Hossain addressed it as chief guest while the key speaker was Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif.
“Earlier, BNP leader Tarique Rahman fled by giving a written statement (Muchleka) that I will not do politics anymore,” Dr Hasan added.
The minister went on saying that in Dhaka, their (BNP) leader Mahbubur Rahman was chased by the leaders and workers of their own party and the common people with throwing shoes.
"When Ziaur Rahman went to Dhaka University in 1980, he too was chased and that's why I urge BNP to find out a way to escape now," he continued.
"I am eagerly waiting to see how the BNP leaders including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and BNP Joint Secretary General Rizvi will cross the Padma River. Will they cross the River using the Padma Bridge boarding a car or a boat of Awami League?" he said.
“When the incumbent government started making the Padma Bridge, BNP spread rumours throughout the country that heads of human are needed for making the bridge and as a result, many innocent people died,” he said.
Criticising BNP's bad political practises, the minister said that BNP earlier raised question over the COVID-19 inoculation as the government brought the vaccines from India.
BNP Joint Secretary General Rizvi spread rumour that the vaccine had no efficacy but later Rizvi received this vaccine secretly, he continued.
"Our Dr Zafrullah of Chittagong also spoke about vaccination. Later, he also took the vaccine brushing aside all confusions," he said.
After the vaccination, Zafrullah said that he felt comfortable, he said.
About the importance of the ruling party Awami League, Hasan said, the grassroots leaders and workers are the lifeblood of Awami League.
Grassroots leaders have kept this party alive since its inception, he said, adding that since its inception, the Bangladesh Awami League has gone through various difficulties and adversities.
He lauded the grassroots leaders and workers saying that they have never betrayed the Awami League.
The information minister said, "Since we have been in state power for almost 13 and a half years, many of us became apathetic. There has been an influx of opportunists into the party. Today, we have to think about how we will face the challenges in the future".
"I observe that big slogans are chanted when leaders come and competition takes place there for taking selfies with the leaders. But, in most of the cases, they are not seen to do anything else without posting the photos on Facebook," Hasan continued.
Calming himself as a proactive activist of Awami League, who conducted publicity campaign through loud speaker, information minister said social media is very important.
Noting that about 70 million people use social media and 125 million people use internet in Bangladesh, he said, "But when any negative criticism is spread out against the Bangladesh Awami League on social media, I do not see our leaders and activists to protest the misleading propaganda in a proper way".
Urging the young party leaders to portray the government's development activities through the social media, Hasan said, "Many streets, roads and culverts have been constructed in the rural areas. Through social media, you should project the scenarios of what was the state of those areas before 13 years and what changes took place there due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's development activities".
Deputy Minister Education Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury, AL Office Secretary and Prime Minister's Special Assistant Barrister Biplab Barua, Religious Affairs Secretary Advocate Sirajul Mostafa, Whip of Jatiya Sangsad Abu Sayeed Al Mahmood Swapon, Mustafizur Rahaman, Md Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, and Waseqa Ayesha Khan were present at the programme, among others.