Fakhrul: PM's criticism will only increase my votes

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said he wished to send sweets for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for what he said raising his popularity by criticizing him at a rally in his home district of Thakurgaon. "I'll send sweets to the prime minister as she has done me a great favour (by criticizing me) and increased my votes," a smiling Fakhrul told reporters at an informal discussion before the party's press conference at its Nayapaltan central office. Two other standing committee members of BNP who were present also joined the discussion, saying they were jealous that the prime minister only “promoted” Fakhrul. Speaking at a rally in Thakurgaon on Thursday, Sheikh Hasina criticized Fakhrul and said he was spreading falsehoods every day. "There should be a limit to spreading falsehoods. Allah will be displeased if anyone spreads falsehoods all day long." The prime minister said Fakhrul destroyed Biman when was the state minister for civil aviation during the BNP regime from 2001 to 2006. "They can only destroy but can't create anything. They can plunder people's property but can't give them anything back. He (Fakhrul) is a man of your neighbourhood, but he shut down Saidpur Airport in Nilphamari when he was the state minister." Referring to Sheikh Hasina's remarks, Fakhrul said journalists had asked for his comment after the PM's speech, but he declined to do so. "Because I know it's her habit to talk like that," the BNP secretary general said. Subsequently, BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said: "Reactions can be given for political remarks. But how will you respond to abusive words?" He also joked that Fakhrul had under the table dealings with the prime minister, as she only spoke about him and increased his popularity BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, who was also present, said: "We all are jealous of the way the prime minister promoted him (Fakhrul)." At a discussion programme later held at the Jatiya Press Club, BNP Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed said: "The prime minister told a rally at Thakurgaon that our secretary general often lies. Actually, it went in his favour and his vote has increased greatly. We want her to continue to make such comments as people know the facts." Moudud further claimed that he himself had been verbally attacked by the prime minister in parliament six times. “How do you talk about insignificant persons like me and our secretary general being a prime minister?” he said. "We want her to make such remarks against us every day, as it'll only help increase our votes," he added, claiming no one would know what a lie is unless they visited Bangladesh. "Falsehood is not only there at the country's highest level, but also in the judiciary. Now falsehood is publicised as truth, while truth is considered falsehood."