Voters' participation more important than political party: Hasan Mahmud

The voters' participation in the election is more important than that of any political party, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said on Sunday.

"BNP did not participate in city corporation elections but more than 50% of the people cast their votes and the elections were acceptable to the people. If the BNP comes in next election, we welcome them. We want them to participate. But if they don't join, there will be huge participation of the people and the election must be acceptable," he said.

The minister made these remarks while replying to journalists after unveiling the reprint of the white paper "White Paper on Crisis of East Pakistan", originally published on 5 August 1971 by the Pakistan government at the Secretariat this afternoon.

Director General of Directorate of Films and Publications S M Golam Kibria, Director (Administration) Mohammad Ali Sarkar, Deputy Chief Information Officer of Directorate of Information Nasreen Jahan participated in the event.

The information and broadcasting minister said the BNP Secretary General's statement proves that after so long they have realised that no one will put them in power by hand. This is a good realisation," Hasan remarked.

He said Mirza Fakhrul's cheerfulness is now slowly fading. Because they understood that elections will be held on time and no one will put them in power. Many political parties will participate in the elections. Many from BNP will also participate, some BNP leaders have already joined Trinomool BNP, he added.

"So I will request them to join the election by avoiding the path of disrupting the election process, and I will request them to accept the reality and follow the path of the election," said Hasan Mahmud.

In reply to a question over the size of the government during the election, the information minister said, "Look, this is the jurisdiction of the prime minister. According to the constitution, there is no obligation to shrink the government during elections. The prime minister can take any decision. Prior to the last 2018 election, no electoral government had been reduced."

Regarding the pre-election observation team from the United States, Hasan Mahmud said, "It is good. Because foreigners are interested in our elections. Our multifaceted relationship with the United States continues to grow. We have a cooperative relationship with the United States everywhere, in countering militancy and terrorism, in our development. The delegation they have sent, I think it is good."

Earlier, when the reprinted white paper was unveiled, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Hasan said: "It will be understood who actually led the Liberation War. In 1971, the Pakistani government published the white paper titled "East Pakistan Crisis." This white paper makes no mention of Ziaur Rahman. However, there has been an effort in this nation to elevate criminals to heroic status."