Foreign Minister and Bangladesh Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud has said the people of the country have already shown a black flag to the BNP by participating in the January 7 national election and re-electing Sheikh Hasina as prime minister. He made the remark when his attention was drawn to the BNP's latest programme - a black flag procession. "Besides, before the elections, BNP had repeatedly knocked on the foreigners' doors. But they also sent observers to monitor the elections and praised the election procedures," said the foreign Minister. The AL leader said the global leaders congratulated Sheikh Hasina's government and expressed interest in working together. "That means the foreigners have also shown a red flag to the BNP," he said. BNP to be restricted strictly if it commits violence in  the name of movement: Quader The foreign minister was speaking at the 'Peace and Democracy' rally organized by the Dhaka Metropolitan South Unit Awami League in front of the Awami League's central office on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on Saturday afternoon. Awami League General Secretary and Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader spoke as the chief guest. This is practically the first meeting of Awami League after the election, and Hasan Mahmud thanked the people of the country for participating in the election and re-electing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. At the same time, he warned the partymen, saying, "Like a rat peeps out of a hole, BNP is also peeping out of a hole now. They will again try to create unrest in the country. For this, the leaders and workers of the party have to keep a watchful eye." The AL leader also said it should be remembered that Awami League is a party that emerged through its presence on the street and it will always be on the streets. Quader returns home from Singapore after routine health checkup The rally was presided over by freedom fighter Abu Ahmed Mannafi, President of Dhaka Metropolitan South Unit Awami League. AL leaders Md Abdur Razzaque, Advocate Qamrul Islam, Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Hannan Mahmud, Organizing Secretary BM Mozammel Haque, among others, spoke. Ershad, Khaleda rewarded main perpetrator of Ctg mass killings: Foreign Minister

The BNP and its allies attempted to cause problems for the government through their anti-national politics and bootlicking of foreigners, but their plan backfired, said  Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud.  The AL leader made the remarks while speaking with reporters at the ministry’s conference room at the Secretariat on Monday.  “The BNP wanted to cause problems for the government through its contradictory politics, anti-national activities, and bootlicking of foreigners. But it backfired on them,” he said.  “Because they believed they could make a fuss on December 10 in front of Nayapaltan. They failed and came to terms with their strength and capability,” he went on.  He also said that the BNP would continue to attempt to destabilize the country this year. Also Read: AL workers thwart BNP's attempt to sow chaos: Hasan Mahmud Mentioning that the government dealt with the sabotage of BNP in 203–15, he also said, “We know what BNP wants to do and how much they can do. We also know how to handle it." “We are prepared, it won't be hard for us,” he added.  He also stated that, in December last year, the BNP took two imprudent decisions. “One is that they were stubborn about holding their Dhaka rally in Naya Paltan. Another is that the party forced its members of parliament to resign,” he said.  "Both decisions caused them political losses,” added the minister.   “These issues created internal problems, and because Khandkar Musharraf is unable to address them, he’s just making loud noises.”  The BNP and 32 other like-minded opposition parties staged a procession of showdowns Friday in different parts of the capital, by way of the first joint program in what is being billed as a collective movement to take down the incumbent government and set the stage for free and fair elections. They also separately announced sit-in programs across the country on January 11 as their next course of action, to press home their 10-point demand, including the resignation of the current government and the formation of a poll-time caretaker government.     

Rangamati journalist Fazle Elahi will get justice, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud has said.  He came up with the assurance while briefing journalists after a meeting with the leaders of the Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO) at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday.  Hasan Mahmud said, “Digital Security Act (DSA) is needed to curb cybercrimes in the country. Many journalists have lodged complaints underthe DSA. None including journalists should be harassed in false cases taking advantage of the DSA. But the offenders need to be punished.” “I don’t know the details about journalist Fazle Elahi’s incident. He was granted bail in the DSA case filed by a person. The ministry will monitor the incident so that the journalist get justice.”    Mentioning that daily newspapers are violating the conditions of their declaration by organising talk shows on their online platforms, he said there is no scope of arranging talk show on online platforms of  newspapers. READ: BNP made journalists ‘labourers’: Hasan Mahmud Urging people not to pay heed to rumours, the minister said Padma Bridge will be inaugurated on June 25. A Rangamati court on Wednesday granted bail to journalist Fazle Elahi in a case filed under the Digital Security Act. Rangamati Senior Judicial Magistrate Fatema Begum Mukta granted the bail and asked Elahi, editor of Dainik Parbatya Chattogram and Pahar 24.com, to appear before the Chattogram Cyber Tribunal within seven days.   Nazneen Anwar, daughter of former Rangamati MP (reserved seat) Firoza Begum Chinu lodged the complaint with police against Elahi under the DSA over publishing a report against her mother Chinu. Chattogram Cyber Tribunal issued an arrest warrant against Elahi following the case and police arrested him from his ADC Hill residence in Rangamati Tuesday evening.