Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the parliament that the government is working to ensure punishment for those who are engaged in spreading propaganda against the country and the government staying abroad.
“The government has been working to bring those, who are engaged in anti-government activities, provocative and fabricated statements (staying abroad), to book and ensure punishment,” she said.
The premier was replying to a question from Awami League lawmaker Nur Uddin Chowdhary Nayan from Laxmipur-2 constituency during the question-answer session in the House.
She said the expatriate Bangladeshis brighten the name and image of Bangladesh through their positive activities in the host countries alongside sending remittance. They can play role to protect the interests of Bangladesh staying in the host countries, she added.
“But unfortunately, some people among the expatriate Bangladeshis are engaged in spreading propaganda against the country and the government, while staying abroad,” she added.
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She also mentioned a number of steps taken to brighten the image of Bangladesh and stop propaganda in foreign countries.
Sheikh Hasina said plans have been taken and regular efforts continue to publish factual news and articles in international media regularly for depicting the positive image of Bangladesh and facing propaganda.
If an untrue and propaganda story is published in the international media, the public diplomacy wing of Foreign Ministry sends objective and factual rejoinder to the media, she said.
The fabricated and baseless social media posts of those who spread propaganda are monitored, she added.
Government trying to ease public miseries
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the parliament that her government has been taking the required measures to ease the public sufferings despite the opposition parties are trying to net fish in troubled-water cashing the global crisis arisen from the Russia-Ukraine war.
“When the country is in a transition period (crisis), I’ve not seen such worry among those who are in our opposition, rather I’ve seen that they are trying how to create a political instability, taking its advantage. Is it fair to do that?” she said.
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The premier made this remark while replying to a supplementary question from Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujibul Haque from Kishoreganj-3 constituency where he questioned whether the government would take any initiative for a unity among all political parties to face the existing economic crisis.
Sheikh Hasina in reply questioned the oppositions that why not (she sees) such feeling among them and said that they should have patriotism and such feeling towards the country.
She added that “When there is a crisis throughout the world, we should avoid the tendency to unstable the political situation and net fish in the troubled-water.”
The Prime Minister said that her government has been developing the entire Bangladesh and the mass people, instead of considering whether which area voted for Awami League or not.
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Her government didn’t sit idle in handing the disasters, she said and added that many people continue criticising the government and making statements, but they didn’t stand beside the people even giving a fist of rice.
She went on saying that unity should not be uttered only in mouth, rather everyone will have to come forward spontaneously to this end. “We always believe in unity. We’ll work together with whoever comes forward,” she added.
In reply to another supplementary question from BNP lawmaker Rumeen Farhana, the Prime Minister suggested the members of the parliament to stand beside the people in stead of finding faults amid the global crisis.
Mentioning that the price of every commodity soared following the war and sanctions, she said the people of the entire world are now victims of it. “The Members of the Parliament should think what they can do for the people of Bangladesh as an lawmaker, not finding faults in Bangladesh,” she said.
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Earlier, Rumeen referred to the CPD and a newspaper questioning what step is planning by the government to control the inflation as the food prices are the highest in Bangladesh among South Asia and Bangladesh is among the 42 countries that may face famine.
The premier said everyone should consider the price-hike of essentials in Bangladesh, comparing that in the world markets.
She said “I am not denying that the prices have not increased in Bangladesh. Since the prices have soared up, we are providing subsidies and selling the goods at low prices to those who can’t afford.”
Responding to another supplementary question from Gonoforum lawmaker Sultan Muhammed Mansur Ahmed from Maulvibazar-2 constituency, the premier said Bangladesh still remains in a better position than even many developed countries amid the economic recession.
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She said there are also some unscrupulous businessmen who consider only their profits not the sufferings of the people and they sometimes hoard goods and create artificial price-hikes.
Sheikh Hasina said that she has already taken steps against those who try to hoard goods and create artificial price-hikes and the step will continue.
