Govt determined to eliminate communal forces: Dr Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said today the government of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is determined to root out communal evil forces.

"Those who chanted anti-Indian and anti-Hindu slogans during elections, they are making evil efforts to create different chaotic incidents under an orchestrated way to spread communal hatred in the country," he said.

He added: "They (the evil forces) carried out the ill-efforts during the Durga Puja celebration last. Awami League leaders and workers will always stand by the Hindu community likewise they stood beside the community at that period. The government is determined to root out the forces."

Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, was addressing the biennial conference of Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee at Dhakeshwari National Temple in the city this morning.

The minister said at the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Enemy Property Act, which was enacted dubbing the citizens of this soil for thousand years as 'enemies', has been reformed.

The constitution has also been brought back to the spirit of the Liberation War, he added.

Hasan said under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh had attained independence through the flow of combined blood stream of people irrespective of religions.

"In that way, we will turn Bangladesh into higher middle income country by 2031 and developed country by 2041 through our united efforts to reach the country to the destination dreamt by Bangabandhu," he said.

Former State Minister for Youth and Sports Dr Biren Shikder, Awami League Cultural Affairs Secretary Asim Kumar Ukil, MP, Pankaj Debnath, MP, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President JL Bhowmik and General Secretary Professor Dr Chandranath Podder addressed it, among others.

Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee President Shoilendranath Majumder chaired the function moderated by Advocate Kishore Ranjan Mandal.

Later, the minister paid tributes to HT Imam, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's former adviser and former chairman of the AL's Publicity and Publications sub-committee, by placing a wreath at his grave at Banani graveyard on his first death anniversary.

He also offered doa seeking eternal peace of the departed soul.

Talking to journalists, Dr Hasan said the demise of HT Imam, an experienced and seasoned leader, is an irreparable loss to the country and the Awami League.

In the afternoon, the minister joined the national funeral of Suddhananda Mahathero, who was a Buddhist religious leader and chief abbot of Basabo Dharmarajika Buddhist Mahabihar.

Lawmaker Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Awami League Office Secretary and Prime Minister's Special Assistant Barrister Biplab Barua were present on the occasion.

 In the evening, Dr Hasan joined as the chief guest the closing ceremony of the 16th International Short and Independent Film Festival arranged by Bangladesh Short Film Forum at Natyashala auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy here.

Speaking on the occasion, he said: 'As Bangalee nation, our language and culture are two things to be proud of. Bangalee are meritorious too."

"Today we are unique example before the middle income and developing countries because of our journey towards a developed nation under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership," he said.

Appreciating the youths' engagement in producing short films, the minister called for waging countrywide cultural revolution to wash out menaces like terrorism and drug addictions.

The festival organizing committee chairman Nasiruddin Yousuf Bachchu, Shilpakala Academy Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky, festival director Imran Hussain Kirmany, film directors Manjare Hasin Murad, Zahidur Rahman Anjan, Junaid Ahmed Halim and Jahirul Islam Kachi also spoke on the occasion.

With the slogan "Free Cinema, Free Expression", the festival began on February 15 and it continued to March 4.

Among 130 countries' over 400 short films screened in the festival, Turkish film "I Am Afraid To Forget Your Face" and Sudanese film "Al-Sit" and Bangladesh film 'Chakrabuho' won the best prizes and noted filmmakers Tanvir Mokammel and Manjare Hasin Murad were conferred with 'Hiralal Sen Lifetime Achievement Award'.

The minister and other guests handed over prizes among the winners in different categories.