Without naming any specific party, Mirza Abbas, a permanent member of the BNP standing committee, expressed his frustration, saying it was pointed out that certain parties were not being covered by the media, with attention only being focused on BNP, often with exaggerated and inflated reports.
“No journalist or newspaper is writing anything about a particular party. You are writing nothing about them. You only write about BNP, inflating and exaggerating it as much as you can.”
He further said: “There is much more happening behind the scenes, but you write nothing about it.”
Mirza Abbas made these remarks at an Iftar event held at a hotel in Gulshan Tuesday evening, organized to honor journalists, photojournalists and videographers working in the media.
The event was hosted by the BNP’s cell, “We Are BNP Family.”
The cell, “We Are BNP Family,” was formed in March 2024 to stand by those in the BNP who have been victims of abductions, killings, and incapacitation.
On March 22 of that year, BNP’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi had announced in a press conference in Nayapaltan that the cell was established under the patronage of BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.
In his keynote speech at the Iftar event, Mirza Abbas raised questions about the involvement of businessmen, saying: “Which businessman travels in a helicopter, how much money do these businessmen give, and how many of them are propping up political parties? Even those involved in murder cases continue to be active and many incidents have occurred involving businessmen. Yet, you write nothing about them.”
He emphasized that this is harmful to the country and the nation, questioning why there are no reports on these individuals.
Mirza Abbas also discussed a meeting held in August 2023 between business leaders and the former prime minister before the fall of the Awami League government.
He said: “Who attended the meeting with the businessmen, who were arrested, and why were some not arrested? These are important matters that should be brought to light.”
He warned that the wealth amassed by some individuals over the last 17 years could be used to destroy Bangladesh in the next 17 years, urging the journalists to highlight these people and raise awareness.
Referring to these businessmen, Mirza Abbas said: “They think that with money, they can control everyone, but they do not realize that money cannot buy every journalist. If these people continue to roam with illegal wealth, the people of Bangladesh will not be able to live peacefully. They will suppress the democracy and the people of this country.”
He also appealed to the journalists, saying: “It is not only businessmen; even in the Secretariat, you should investigate how allies of the Awami League have taken positions. Their influence extends through the Secretariat, police stations, and union councils. You must gather information about them and bring it to the public.”
Mirza Abbas continued: "You must bring to light where the allies of the Awami League are positioned today and the role they play in Bangladesh’s politics.”
During the Iftar event, another permanent member of BNP’s Standing Committee, Abdul Moin Khan, raised a question to the interim government, asking why laws such as the Digital Security Act or Cyber Security Act have not yet been repealed.
He remarked that democracy cannot exist without press freedom.
