Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said that Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has not yet moved away from “destructive politics”.

He made the remark while talking to journalists on current affairs at the ministry’s meeting room in the Secretariat.

Hasan Mahmud, also joint general secretary of the Awami League, criticized BNP’s recent activities, saying, “BNP has once again demonstrated its engagement in conflicting and destructive politics. Yesterday, they organized a march program across the country. Meanwhile, our party brought out ‘peace and development processions’. It has become evident that BNP’s main objective with their program is to create chaos in the country.”

He pointed out instances where clashes occurred between BNP and the police or Awami League activists at nine locations in the country, and said, “They burnt a Chhatra League leader’s bike near Mirpur Bangla College in Dhaka, and the national flag was also set on fire. Several Awami League activists were attacked and injured in Khagrachhari. They also vandalized the municipality building.”

“In Bogura’s Satmatha junction, BNP activists started throwing bricks at police, and law enforcers had to resort to using tear gas. At the same time, BNP activists tore down the festoons and banners of Awami League leaders in front of Samad Academy in Lakshmipur, inciting clashes at various locations. It is evident that BNP’s intention is to create a tense situation in the country through these confrontations, but we will not let it happen,” he went on.

Regarding the attack on Hero Alam and subsequent response, the information minister said, “I am surprised at the promotion of tweets by the resident coordinator of UN and Amnesty International Bangladesh as ‘official statements’ from the respective organizations. A tweet cannot be considered an official statement. This is ‘misinformation’ and ‘yellow journalism’.”

“As the Information Minister and joint general secretary of the party, I request everyone to refrain from promoting such tweets as official statements,” he added.

On Tuesday, the UN resident coordinator in Dhaka, Gwyn Lewis tweeted, “The UN in Bangladesh is concerned over the attack on independent MP candidate Ashraful Alam during the Dhaka-17 by-poll. The fundamental human right of everyone to participate in elections without violence should be guaranteed and protected”.