Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Saturday requested the BNP to take part in upcoming election accepting the fact that their caretaker government’s demand died in the field.

“No country in the world supported the BNP’s demand for a caretaker government and no one told the government to form an election-time caretaker government. That is to say, their demand has died in the field, it is only alive in the mouth of Mirza Fakhrul and their supporters," he said.

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The minister came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after addressing an orientation programme at Kumira Campus Auditorium in Sitakunda marking the start of the autumn semester of International Islamic University Chattogram (IIUC) on Saturday afternoon.

Condemning the incident of journalist Golam Rabbani Nadim death, the information minister said, “It is very painful and sad. Many of the accused, including the leader, involved in this heinous murder, were arrested in a very short time. Anything is required to ensure exemplary punishment of the culprits will be done.”

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“And we have to be careful so that such incidents do not happen in the future,” he added.

Hasan Mahmud said we want a free, fair, neutral and participatory election with the engagement of all political parties including BNP which will be organized by Election Commission.

Condemning the incident of vandalising many structures of history, heritage and Bangabandhu's ‘mural’ in Jamalkhan of Chattogram, Dr Hasan said, "The way BNP has vandalised the mural of Bangabandhu and sculptures of our history and heritage, it proves that BNP is guiding the youth to terrorism and anarchism.”

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Presided over by Prof Anwarul Azim Arif, vice-chancellor of the university, the function was addressed, among others, by Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Isa bin Yusuf Al Duhailan, Treasurer of the university Professor Dr Humayun Kabir.