Nilphamari politics hots up again

The matter is now a talk of the town after State Minister for Education ANM Ehsanul Haq Milon on January 18 said at a gathering of high school teachers that he will sue two local journalists for alleged "misreporting" on the BNP leader's public address, made on June 6 last year.

Milon said the delay in filing a case was to give the two journalists representing two national dailies a chance to give "correction to their distorted news".

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Milon's announcement evoked reaction from political leaders of both ruling and opposition parties, including Awami League central Publicity Secretary and lawmaker Asadu-zzaman Noor.

On June 6, Nilphamari BNP Secretary Anisul Arefin Choudhury at a public meeting in front of the party office in the town had said, "We are Mofiz as we became mad to vote for Jatiya Party in 1996 when Awami League went to power and to vote for Awami League in 2001 when BNP won the election.

"We are deprived of development due to foolishness", he had said.

In Nilphamari, the word Mofiz is used to call someone fool.

Anisul Arefin had addressed the meeting in presence of Milon.

At that meeting, Milon had however said that Mofiz was the name of his uncle.

The news of the meeting was published on June 8, involving the State Minister. This created a commotion followed by a series of protests by Awami League and Jatyo Party and counter protests by BNP.

The Mofiz issue also became a factor in municipal polls. Many townspeople this correspondent talked to said BNP-led candidates lost the polls because of this.

Milon's statement at the January 18 gathering stirred public opinion again, some welcoming the decision saying this will brighten the image of BNP and some criticising it.

Talking to this correspondent, Asaduzzaman Noor, MP from Nilphamari Sadar, said, "Case filing would tarnish the State Minister's image.

"The newsmen did not do any thing wrong and it (the news) was published in most of the national dailies.

"It would be better for the State Minister to explain his position to newsmen".

BNP National Executive Committee member Alamgir Sarkar said, "We faced many unwanted questions from people because of the false news.

"Only two correspondents filed false news.

"The decision is correct and timely. Otherwise, the ill practice of using newspapers against BNP will continue".