Rebutting BNP leaders’ remarks on the recent casino issue falsifying the government’s tough stance on it, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has said BNP’s founder Ziaur Rahman had triggered off the illegal businesses of gambling, liquor and drug and vulgar dance in the country.
“Bangabandhu had banned the businesses of liquor and drugs and gambling. But Ziaur Rahman initiated all these ill-doings,” he told reporters before attending a meeting of the Awami League sub-committee on Publicity at AL president political office in the capital's Dhanmondi on Sunday (Sept 22).
Chairman of the sub-committee and Prime Minister’s Political Advisor HT Imam chaired the meeting while Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar, AL Deputy Publicity Secretary Aminul Islam, lawmaker Sheikh Sarhan Naser Tanmoy and Prime Minister’s Assistant Press Secretary Muhammad Ashraf Siddique Bitu, among others, were present.
In his speech, HT Imam said those who were involved in the casino business were basically infiltrators into the party. “Casino is an illegal business and who were involved in the business were infiltrators,” he added.

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In the past, the wrongdoers indulged in casino business got embroiled in the misdeeds of other political parties, he said adding that the troublemakers are designing to tarnish the image of the Awami League government.
Dr Hasan, also the publicity and publication secretary of AL, said BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia had made the casino business to flourish after taking power in 1991. Many BNP leaders, including Mirza Abbas and Falu, were involved in the business, he added.
The information minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave order to the law enforcement agencies to stop the illegal businesses. “No one will be spared,” he added.
Dr Hasan said BNP and its acting chairman gave an institutional shape to corruption through introducing ‘Hawa Bhaban’.
The information minister said corruption got an institutional shape during the regime of Begum Khaleda Zia. “BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia and her former finance minister Saifur Rahman whitened black money. Begum Zia is now in prison after a verdict in a graft case,” he added.
He went on saying that Mirza Fakhrul and his political colleagues should see their own faces in the mirrors before criticizing anyone.
Castigating BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s demand for the resignation of the government, the information minister said that it has become a mania for the BNP leader to seek the government’s resignation every week. “I think, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir should resign from his post shouldering his failure,” he said.