Fakhrul's statement proves BNP men are main patrons of militants: Information minister

The BNP secretary general's statement proves that his party men are the main patrons of militants, said Information Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud.

"After the arrest of some militants in Kulaura of Moulvibazar recently, Mirza Fakhrul said this militant drama has been staged to divert the attention of the people. This proves that BNP leaders, including the secretary general, are the main patrons of militancy," he said.

"We strongly condemn this statement of the BNP secretary general. We have suppressed militancy, we could have eliminated militants if they (BNP) did not patronise militants," said the minister.

Hasan was addressing a discussion on the occasion of the 48th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman organised by Liberation War Consciousness Journalist Forum at the National Press Club in the capital on Monday afternoon.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen addressed the meeting as special guest with Former Prime Minister's Information Adviser and Daily Observer Editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury in the chair.

He said, when the government was taking strict action against the militants and many militants were being arrested, Begum Zia said after catching some people and detaining them for a few days, when their hair, beard grew long, they were called 'militants'. That is why when they (BNP) were in power, bombs exploded in 500 places, Sheikh Abdur Rahman, Bangla Bhai originated and Hawa Bhaban with militants carried out the August 21 grenade attack.

Mentioning that BNP and its allies are hatching a multi-pronged conspiracy when the country is moving at a fast pace under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Hasan said, "They hired lobbyists at the cost of millions of dollars. When asked at the White House about the congressmen's statements, they said they didn't know anything about it. But millions of dollars were spent on writing this letter."

"In other words, it is now clear that there is no point in running after foreigners so much. That is why the BNP has now started speaking in a different tone. No one has supported BNP's claim. That's why the BNP's tone is different now. Now they say what India says doesn't matter, it doesn't matter what the US says, it doesn't matter what the UK says, it doesn't matter what China says," the minister also said.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) President Omar Faruk, former President Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, former Secretary General Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan were present at the time, among others.