Staff correspondent :

Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Joint General Secretary of Awami League. Hasan Mahmood said, “When the global economic recession and growth is going down, our growth will be higher than the world average growth, which is the IMF report.” After this report, what Mirza Fakhrul sahib or BNP leaders say, now I am waiting.
He said this in response to a question from journalists after a meeting with the leaders of the Bangladesh Editors Forum at the secretariat on Wednesday afternoon. Journalists mentioned in the latest report of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that ‘the current year’s global growth will decrease to 3 percent from the previous 3.5 percent and will further decrease to 2.9 percent in 2024, but Bangladesh’s growth will not fall below 6 percent and will be 7 percent in 2028’. He wants to know the reaction of the minister.
In response, Minister Hasan Mahmud said, ‘Our growth rate is much better than other countries despite the ongoing global recession. There is a lot of talk about the rise of daily products, but in fact, the prices of daily products have increased in all countries of the world. Of course, the common people are suffering due to the increase in the price of daily commodities, the government is trying to alleviate the suffering by giving 1 crore family cards through TCB, distributing rice to 50 lakh people at a low price, and distributing various types of food grains to another 1 crore people. That is why there is no lamentation in Bangladesh. 
Information and Broadcasting Minister said, ‘There is no shortage of daily commodities in Bangladesh. In Europe-America there is a shortage of daily commodities. After the Russia-Ukraine war, for a long time Supermalls were not allowed to buy more than 1 liter of oil and more than 6 eggs. During Corona, the super-malls there ran out of tissue paper boxes. People had to line up. Many products were sold on rationing, but that situation did not happen in our country. Among only 20 countries in the world that had positive GDP growth during Corona, our position was third. Above us were Guyana and South Sudan, whose economies were much larger than ours. So we can be said to be number one as a populous country.’
Hashan Mahmud said in response to the journalists’ questions about Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s adverse comments after the arrest of BNP leader Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, “What do you mean Mirza Fakhrul Sahib, even if there is a warrant against someone, he cannot be arrested?” If there is a warrant, he will be arrested. If there is a warrant, the Awami League leader is also arrested. It is normal for the police to arrest anyone who has a warrant for vandalism, arson or any other reason. This is the legal process, this is the legal language. Mirza Fakhrul Saheb’s statement in this context is the proof that they do not respect the law court, they do not respect justice.’ 
Earlier, Bangladesh Editors Forum chief advisor Daily Observer editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury led advisors Azizul Islam Bhuiyan, Sharif Sahabuddin, Belayt Hossain, convener Rafiqul Islam Ratan, member secretary Farooq Ahmed Talukder and editors Rimon Mahfuz, Mofizur Rahman Khan Babu, Shamim Siddiqui, Mahbubur. Rahman, Deepak Acharya, Nazmul Alam Taufiq and others participated in the meeting with the minister.
Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, the chief advisor of the forum said, “It is absolutely necessary to stop Bhuiphore newspapers and illegal IPTV to protect the dignity of mass media and to get correct information to the people. The campaign against them should be continued. Everyone should speak out against the sudden dismissal of journalists without prior notice and at least 3 months salary. Besides, no foreign conspiracy against the country’s media will be tolerated.’ 
Editor Forum convener Rafiqul Islam Ratan presented the demands of the forum in the meeting. He raised the demand to stop the commission trade in irregularly published newspapers and advertisements, to bring discipline in circulation number of newspapers, distribution of crores and declarations, non-journalists not to be in charge of editors and speedy payment of outstanding bills of government advertisements.  
Information Minister Secretary assured to review the demands of the forum and said, ‘We want the cooperation of the media. Because the country can be moved forward only if the government and the media all work together. We believe in free media and independent, free, responsible media consolidates the country’s democracy, moves the country forward. There are many conspiracies about our elections, about democracy, there are conspiracies to create a special situation in the country. In that context, so that no one can conspire against the country and disrupt the democracy, can’t conspire about the election, we want your cooperation.’