Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Friday said the election will be held under the Election Commission during the present government in line with the Constitution like all other democratic countries across the world.

“BNP will gain no benefit in dreaming for the restoration of caretaker government,” he said, replying to a question from journalists.

Also read: AL wants election with participation of all parties: Hasan Mahmud

The minister was talking to reporters before joining the 11th biennial conference of the Entomological Society at the Agricultural Research Council’s auditorium in the city’s Khamarbari area.

“If BNP makes ill-attempts to create chaos in the name of movement, it (anarchy) will be resisted taking the people with us,” he said.

About BNP's demand for caretaker government, Hasan said no government resigns before the election in all the democratic countries like India, Japan, Australia, Europe and even the USA.

He said BNP tried to thwart the 2014 election, but failed. In 2018, it also raised the same demand, but finally participated in the general election forging an alliance of many parties and secured only five seats (in Parliament).

“So, I would like to tell them to take preparation for the next election without making useless rhetoric,” said Hasan, also a joint general secretary of Bangladesh Awami League.

Asked about BNP’s possible movement to overthrow the government, he said, “We’ve been hearing about the movement for the fall of the government for the last 13 years.”

Also read: Election will be held on time: Quader

“If they try to create chaos, carry out arson violence or burn people in the name of the movement as they did before, it will be resisted taking the people with us,” he said.

In the conference, the minister stressed the need for saving the agricultural lands in the country. The arable lands should not be lost due to unplanned urbanization and construction of structures everywhere in unplanned ways.

He said Bangladesh has multiplied its crop production due to agricultural research. “This trend must continue on the path of development,” he added.

Chairman of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council Dr Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar and Director General of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) Dr Debashish Sarkar, among others, spoke at the conference.

President of Entomological Society Dr Syed Nurul Alam presided over the function moderated by its general secretary Dr Md Mizanur Rahman, said a PID handout.