Blasting The Daily Star “for publishing the DGFI-supplied false news against her [Sheikh Hasina]" during the last caretaker regime, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the editor himself could not show his "courage" in resigning from his post by admitting his faults.
"Though Mahfuz Anam admitted his mistakes, he could not display his courage in resigning from the post of the Editor of Daily Star by admitting his faults...he must have tendered his resignation, had he any self-dignity," she said.
For such a mistake, the premier said everybody including the common people as well as the Awami League leaders and workers, business people and the students' community had paid unbearable prices. I and my family had also paid the dividend very dearly for the mistake as the daily wrote against me," she said.
The prime minster said this while addressing a discussion on the occasion of the Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day.
Mahfuz Anam on a TV talk show on February 3 admitted that he made a "big mistake" by running "corruption" stories based on information provided by the DGFI during the 2007-2008 caretaker regime.
On Feb 17, The Editors' Council condemned the countrywide filing of cases against The Daily Star Editor and also the council's General Secretary.
Editors’ Council noted with concern that 66 cases including defamation charges involving Tk 82,646.5 crore have been filed at various places of the country against Mahfuz Anam.
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Bangladesh Awami League arranged the discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.
Deputy Leader of the House and Awami League Presidium Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury chaired the function.
At the outset of the discussion, a one-minute silence was observed as a mark of profound respect to the memories of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders, martyrs of the War of Liberation and the Language Movement.
Those also addressed discussion were AL Advisory Council Member and Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Presidium Member and Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, General Secretary and Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam and Disaster Management and Relief Minister and Dhaka City AL General Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya.
Besides, AL Joint Secretaries Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Organizing Secretary Abu Sayeed Mahmud Al Swapan, Central Committee Member SM Kamal Hossain and Dhaka city AL Vice-President Kamal Ahmed Mazumdar, MP, addressed the function. Awami League Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud and Deputy Publicity and Publication Secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil conducted the discussion.