Crisis intensifies in BNP, not in country: Info minister

Information and broadcasting minister and Awami League (AL) joint general secretary Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday said there is no crisis in the country but a crisis is intensifying in BNP, reports BSS.

"BNP is trying to create a crisis, but they are not succeeding. Rather a crisis is intensifying within the BNP," he told reporters, replying to a query after unwrapping a book named 'Dipto Alauddin' in memory of former member of provincial council and journalist SM Alauddin, at the meeting room of the ministry at the secretariat.

Laila Parvin Sejuti, daughter of Alauddin, and journalist AHM Tareq Uddin, among others, were present in the function.

Hasan said BNP had tried to create crisis in 2014 and they thought that the government would fall within three months. "But the government had completed its five-year tenure. Even, the party had tried to create crisis in 2018 and visited the foreign diplomats and appointed lobbyists at home and abroad. But they couldn't do anything," he said.

He said there is no crisis in Bangladesh. BNP has crisis within the party as its leaders want to take part in election but they don't get any decision from their top leaders. And it is a big crisis, he noted.

The information minister said BNP claims that it is a party of the masses. But the leaders and activists of the party were not allowed to join the city corporation and even in the union parishad polls, he continued.

He said it is the manifestation of internal crisis of a political party. Now it is time for an exploration in that party, he added.

He said many leaders and activists of BNP took part in city corporation polls and many of them have won. If the party decides to boycott the general election, there is a possibility of a huge exploration within the party, he said.

Replying to another query over public rallies of Awami League and BNP on 27 July, the information minister said there is no rule that anyone cannot announce to hold a rally on the same day when BNP holds a meeting in the city.

People are in panic when BNP calls for rally. So, Awami League, as the government party, and its associate bodies have responsibility to stay beside the countrymen, he added.

Hasan said the government never wants violence rather BNP is looking for an excuse to create conflicts. For this, Jubo League, Chhatra League and Swechasebak League have jointly announced the rally on 27 July, he said.