Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Wednesday urged BNP to come back to sound politics.
"I'm extending my congratulations to BNP leaders on their party's founding anniversary. Marking the day, we hope that BNP will come out from the politics of patronizing and sheltering the war criminals, militants, terrorists and petrol bombs."
"We hope that they will return to sound politics. Then the country and the politics will be benefited," he added.
Hasan, also the joint general secretary of Awami League, spoke to reporters after inaugurating the online news portal crabnewsbd.com of Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh (CRAB) at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) auditorium in the capital.
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Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) Director General Zafar Wazed addressed the function as a special guest while DRU President Mursalin Nomani, CRAB advisor Sangkar Kumar Dey, Shakhaowat Hossain Badsha and Motahar Hossain also spoke at the event.
Alauddin Arif, general secretary of CRAB, conducted the inaugural function with its President Mizan Malik in the chair.
The minister said the crime beat is most important in journalism as many crimes are tried while many others are hidden. "I think the crime reporters are playing a pivotal role in exposing those crimes."
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Hasan said online newspapers and IP TVs are now the reality of the current era.
"There will be online newspaper and IP TV also. But there is no need for unplanned news portals," he added.
About the Digital Security Act (DSA), the minister said the act is for digital security for everyone in the country. "However, the law should not be misused," he added.
Hasan further said the government has also enacted the Right to Information Act and formed the Information Commission.
A total of 1,19,831 applications have been settled from 2014 to December 2020.
