If Awami League does not remain in power, militancy will rise in the country again, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hashan Mahmud said on Thursday.

Besides, communal evils will also take up the arms if Awami League is not in power, the minister said this while speaking at the open question and answering session of the 'Face the Journalists' programme at the Kolkata Press Club this afternoon.

Hasan Mahmud said, 'When Begum Khaleda Zia was in power, 63 districts of Bangladesh were bombed simultaneously. Shaykh Abdur Rahman, Bangla Bhai and militant groups used to stage showdown in public places. This was the reign of the BNP government, he said.

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"When we lost the elections in 2001 and BNP came to power, the minorities were unjustly tortured." Besides, mothers and daughters were raped in one night, a 14-year-old girl was raped for "the crime of voting for the AL election symbol Boat", he added.

Highlighting the ideals of his party, the Information Minister said that the Bangladesh Awami League is only the party, which has struggled against communal evil forces in Bangladesh.

"Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called for liberation war in order to get out of the communal state system and form a non-communal state. Our freedom has been gained by the combined fight of Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians."

He said, 'Ziaur Rahman, the founder of BNP brought back that communalism after the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975.

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“Politics based on religion was stopped in our country after independence, but it was re-introduced in 1975. Sadly, it is true that the BNP multi-party alliance has communal underdogs. There are many groups whose leaders have fought with the Taliban. Many of these leaders openly chanted 'Bangla Hobe Taliban',” the minister mentioned.

Snehasis Sur, president of Kolkata Press Club and General Secretary Kingshuk Pramanik and local journalists participated in the event. Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Kolkata Andalib Elias was also present at this time.

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