HT Imam denies assuring BCL men of help
HT Imam denies assuring BCL men of help
Also denies saying that AL benefited from party men during Jan 5 polls, 4 days after his statement on record
Four days after assuring Bangladesh Chhatra League activists of help in viva voce of civil service exams and saying that Awami League benefited from party men during the January 5 parliamentary polls, prime minister’s adviser HT Imam has denied saying these.
Amid continuing criticism over his statement made at a BCL programme at Dhaka University, the PM’s political adviser convened a press conference at AL President Sheikh Hasina’s political office in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi today where he alleged that his statement was distorted.
HT Imam’s statement is reported to have irked the premier herself, according to sources.
Today, he asserted that he had insisted BCL activists to study hard and alleged that the media distorted his statement with an aim to demean him. “Some print and electronic media portrayed my partial speech. They altered the moral of my statement.”
He defended his position throughout the duration of his speech that was read out from a four-page long instrument at the presser. Imam said he addressed the media briefing on the advice of premier Sheikh Hasina obtained from “a different channel.”
“I told Chhatra League that there is no way out other than competition. There is no scope for a misinterpretation in this regard.”
“During the BNP rule, BCS question papers were leaked and Chhatra Dal activists were passed in the exams through devised means. But we tell our activists to study.”
Regarding the January 5 elections, Imam said that the BNP distorted his statement and tried to mislead the people after the party “missed the polls and failed to stop it.”
“What we did ahead of the polls was in line with the law and electoral policy. By my recruitment, I meant all the employees and officials of the administration who were nonpartisan. If I seek the security of the people and conservation of their voting rights, is that wrong?”
“I requested for establishments of mobile court, if necessary, for the security of the people and their voting rights,” he said.
The premier’s adviser condemned BNP-Jamaat’s atrocities during the election-period and reiterated the “brave” role of law enforcement agencies to have upheld “the election and the continuity of democratic process.”
“I ask you, what would have been the result otherwise?”
“Now because my statement was distorted in the print and electronic media, the people of the country was misled and BNP took advantage of it,” he added. “Those who misrepresented my message do not belong to the Awami League.”
He slammed Bangla daily Prothom Alo and some other print media for the “distortion.”
Among the Awami League leaders present during the briefing were prime minister’s Economic Affairs Adviser Mashiur Rahman, Awami League Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap and deputy Office Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das.