BNP Now Demands Murad’s Arrest, Punishment

Hours after the submission of his resignation letter, BNP on Tuesday demanded the arrest of disgraced State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Murad Hassan for his indecent comments against women and the Zia family, reports UNB.

"The resignation is not sufficient. He (Murad) must be arrested and put on trial," said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. 

Speaking at a press briefing at their party’s Nayapaltan office, the BNP leader also said a person like Dr Murad is incapable of doing politics.

“He (Murad) made indecent comments. He must be removed from his position at all levels of the (ruling) party, not just from the cabinet," Rizvi said.

He said legal action can be taken against Dr Murad for his offensive comments. “He should be tried and punished.”

Meanwhile, Dr Murad resigned from the cabinet following the instruction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for his offensive and indecent remarks on women.

The under-fire junior minister submitted his resignation letter to the Prime Minister on Tuesday showing personal reasons for quitting his job.

Murad Hassan had been under increasing criticism by various quarters for his disrespectful remarks on women in an interview on social media.

A number of audios and videos containing indecent remarks by Murad Hassan also went viral on social media during the last few days.

A two-year-old phone conversation of the junior minister with actor Mamnun Hasan Emon and actress Mahiya Mahi recently went viral on social media. In that audio clip, Murad made "derogatory comments" on the actress, threatened her and gave her an alleged indecent proposal.

On Monday, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked State Minister for Information Murad Hassan to resign from the cabinet by Tuesday for his recent derogatory remarks on social media.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday demanded Murad apologise publicly and withdraw his “politically motivated, racial and derogatory” remarks against women and the Zia family.

During an interview on social media recently, the junior minister described BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman as a ‘whoreson’ and alleged that Zaima Rahman, Tarique’s daughter, cannot sleep without the company of a black man every night.