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Special Correspondent
Dhaka: Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan has said the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is fully aware of the depth of the conspiracies being hatched by various quarters to obstruct Bangladesh’s democratic progress.
Speaking as the chief guest at a photo exhibition titled “15 Years of Fascism and the Mass Uprising of ’24” at the National Press Club’s Nazrul Islam Auditorium on Saturday, the minister said the government is acting responsibly by focusing on addressing the root causes of problems rather than responding with provocative rhetoric.
The exhibition was jointly organized by the Bangladesh Photo Journalists Association and Amra BNP Poribar.
Swapan said Bangladesh’s long democratic struggle is closely linked with the political roles of martyred President Ziaur Rahman, former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman. He said the anti-autocracy movement of the 1990s under Khaleda Zia’s leadership and the subsequent struggle for democracy laid the foundation for the generation that led today’s mass uprising.
He emphasized that while the courage and enthusiasm of youth are essential, wisdom and experience require time to develop. Acknowledging this, he said, should not be viewed as a weakness. Instead, he warned that failing to learn from past experiences could jeopardize the future.
The minister stressed the need to establish an effective parliamentary culture in a Bangladesh free from fascism. He said minor parliamentary issues should not be taken to the streets or used to fuel division and conflict on social media, adding that responsible political leadership is essential once the people have entrusted a government with the responsibility of governing.
Swapan further said that after years of political struggle, the decisive moment came on August 5. Although there were various attempts to create obstacles to restoring voting rights and holding a national election, the election was ultimately held and the people delivered their verdict.
“The chapter of overthrowing fascism is over. Now it is time to build the country,” he said, adding that the priority should now be national development, strengthening democratic institutions, and building an independent, self-reliant, and sovereign Bangladesh.
Describing the photo exhibition as an important record of the country’s long political struggle, he said the photographs would help future generations understand the history of Bangladesh’s democratic movements.
The event was chaired by Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman. Among those present were Chief Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed, BFUJ Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury, National Press Club President Hasan Hafiz, Journalists Welfare Trust Managing Director Bashir Jamal, Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Zahidul Islam Rony, VIP Motors proprietor Bhaskar Nazm, Bangladesh Photo Journalists Association President AKM Mohsin, General Secretary Babul Talukdar, and others.
Earlier, the exhibition was inaugurated by Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan.