Quader urges pro-liberation forces to build online activist groups to spread truth

Awami League general secretary and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said a quarter has chosen social media to spread rumours after failing in the field of politics, reports news agency BSS.

He was addressing as the chief guest a workshop on ‘Publicity strategy on social media’, organised by Awami League’s science and technology affairs sub-committee, joining it virtually from his official residence on the premises of Jatiya Sangsad in the capital.

Mentioning that no rumour should go unchallenged, Quader urged the pro-liberation forces to build online activist groups to disseminate the truth and to resist those who are spreading falsehood against the government taking the advantage of ‘Digital Bangladesh’.

Under the leadership of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, he said, Bangladesh is marching ahead at an indomitable speed on the highway of development and attaining remarkable success in all sectors including socio-economic indices.

Advancement of information and communication technology (ICT) is making the trend of achievements more colourful, he added.

The minister further said Bangladesh has already witnessed a silent revolution in the ICT sector due to relentless efforts of prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s ICT affairs adviser and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy.

Advanced communication technology has reached from the capital to rural areas, he added.

Mentioning that the country’s democracy was affected due to different odds in the past, Quader said democracy is now going ahead on its flourishing trend.

The minister also said the people have not forgotten the memories of 1/11 (political changeover in 2007) when the BNP had carried out their evil attempts to hold so-called elections capitalising on caretaker government system at the end of 2006.

To sustain the state power, the president was given the charge of the head of the caretaker government, he said, adding that BNP made evil attempts to prolong their stay in power by including 12.3 million (1.23 crores) fake voters.

He said the incident of January, 2007 had caused a huge damage to democracy.

BNP’s ill efforts to snatch away the people’s right to franchise and their stubbornness had created the 1/11 and immensely harmed democracy, he added.

The AL general secretary urged the BNP to cooperate with the government if they want to give a constitutional shape to democracy.

“If you (BNP) talk about democracy on one hand and make undemocratic acts on the other, the path of flourishing of democracy will get harmed,” he said.

Quader said everyone irrespective of opinions and party affiliations will have to come forward to take ahead the journey of democracy.

The people are getting the benefits of development carried out by Sheikh Hasina’s government and that is why they are keeping their trust and confidence in her again and again.

He urged the party leaders and workers to continue their efforts to showcase the development works of the government.

AL’s science and technology affairs sub-committee chairman Hossain Mansur chaired the workshop.