Chattogram Correspondent

Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) didn't do any research and their statement is nothing but an outright lie.

"They held a press conference and presented a statement just compiling media reports," he told reporters after placing a glowing tribute to the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at BTV Chattogram centre, marking the 59th founding anniversary of the state-owned BTV.

The minister said the CPD at the press conference claimed that they conducted the research, but in fact, research needs a lot of time and a lot of information. But the CPD played hide and seek in making the report and served many untrue and misinformation, he said. Dr Hasan said the CPD claimed that 75 percent of the country's development budget comes from foreign aid. But the reality is that 35 percent of the development budget comes from foreign aid, which was less earlier, he said.

He said the CPD has claimed that Taka 4,000 crore has been distributed as loan from the Basic Bank. But, out of the loan, Taka 2,000 crore has already been realised while cases are going on to realise the rest amount of the loan, he added. The minister said the CPD also claimed that the Nabil Group took a loan of Taka 2,700 crore. But the amount of the loan has been realised which was mentioned in the report, he said, adding that they (CPD) did it intentionally.

The CPD said about a group of Chattogram, he said, adding "I checked it with Bangladesh Bank. None of the loans in that group are classified, which means the CPD has given false information, he said. Hasan Mahmud said the CPD claimed that the size of classified loan has been increased, but they didn't tell about the percentage, as the percentage of classified loan has decreased. The GDP was $80 billion in 2009 and now the GDP is about $500 billion, he said. In fact, the minister said, the CPD held the press conference just before the election intentionally.

About BNP's programme, the information minister said the countrymen didn't know about their three-day programme. People don't know when they are announcing hartal or blockade programmes, he said. Dr Hasan greeted the Christians on Christmas Day.

He said the country became independent with the exchange of blood from all religions, including Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Christians.

Earlier, the minister planted a tree on the premises of BTV Chattogram centre and congratulated all artists, officers and employees of the organization.