State Minister Murad Hasan Resigns Citing ‘Personal Reasons’

Murad Hasan, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting, has submitted a resignation letter to the Information Ministry today citing "personal reasons".

The state minister, who is currently in Chattogram, sent the letter to his ministry at 12.30 pm, said a source in the ministry. Later, the resignation letter was submitted to the Cabinet at 1 pm today.

Earlier on Monday evening, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader told journalists that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked Murad Hasan to step down over derogatory remarks on the daughter of BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

Murad Hasan has been in the spotlight for the last couple of days over his derogatory remarks.

Amid the criticisms, a leaked phone conversation of the state minister with an actress drew flak on Monday.

Subsequently, top Awami League leaders said if the allegations against the state minister were proved to be true, the party would take action against him.

Murad Hasan made hateful and racist remarks about Tarique Rahman's daughter Zaima Rahman a few days ago. Besides, in the leaked phone conversation, he was heard threatening the actress in abusive words.

Many Awami League leaders said the two back-to-back incidents involving the state minister embarrassed the government and the party too.

Despite being criticised for commenting on the BNP leader's daughter, Murad Hasan told the BBC on Sunday night that he would not withdraw his comments and he had done nothing wrong.

But the incident sparked controversy in the political arena as BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded the resignation of the state minister.

Dr. Md. Murad Hasan was elected Member of Parliament from Jamalpur-4 constituency in the 11th Parliamentary Election. He was also elected from the same constituency in 2008. When the government was formed in 2019, Murad Hasan was given the responsibility of the State Minister for Health. Five months later, on 19 May of the same year, his office was changed to State Minister for Information.