Political Correspondent: Paying rich tribute to country’s martyred intellectuals, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud Monday urged the countrymen to remain united to resist all ill forces against independence, the Liberation War and culture as well.
“Just two days ahead of the country’s final victory for independence in 1971, the Pakistani occupation forces with the help of their local collaborators had killed the most prominent intellectuals of the country aimed at crippling the country,” he told reporters.
The minister made the comments after paying rich tribute to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his portrait on Dhanmandi 32 No. in the capital marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day. Hasan said the day will be termed as a black day in the pages of history till Bangladesh’s existence. But, it is reality that Jamaat-e-Islami and their collaborators who had designed the blue prints of killing the intellectuals are still active in the country, he added.
He said the people who were against the independence and described freedom fighters as ‘kafer’ and anti-Islamic are now raising questions about sculptures. “Even after almost 50 years of the independence, such arrogance of the anti-liberation forces cannot be accepted. For this, we should remain together against them,” he added.
About a recent comment of BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi about Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, the information minister said BNP’s joint secretary general Rizvi Ahmed BNP has recovered.
“That is why I am thanking the Almighty Allah. But as soon as he came back from the hospital, he made a personal attack on our party’s general secretary and it seems that he is not recovered fully. He needs more treatment,” said Hasan, also AL joint general secretary.
Later, the minister paid rich tribute to martyred intellectuals at Rayerbazar.
Replying to a comment there, Hasan said a political party-BNP which was in power for several times is patronising the ill and anti-liberation forces. “We should resist them in unison,” he added.