Justice-based democratic society not possible in absence of debate: Hassan

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said it is not easy to build justice based democratic society in absence of debate, reports BSS.
"If society is to be formed based on justice, knowledge and reason, then debate has to prevail inside the society," Hasan, also joint general secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, said.
The minister came up with the remarks while speaking at the award distribution ceremony of the first national undergraduate and postgraduate level television debate competition, organised by Bangladesh Television Chattogram Centre at its studio in the port city on Friday.
The minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants to make a debate-based state, justice and knowledge-based society in the country.
Sohrab Hossain, Director General of Bangladesh Television, presided over the award distribution ceremony while Ekushey Padak winner journalist and Daily Azadi Editor MA Malek, former city Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, Divisional Commissioner Ashraf Uddin and Chattogram Metropolitan Police Commissioner Krishna Pada Roy, among others, addressed the function as the special guests.
BTV Chattogram Centre General Manager Mahfuza Akhter delivered the welcome speech at the function.
Dr Hasan said the debate competition organised by Bangladesh Television will be very helpful in establishing debate and logic-based democratic society.
A total of 104 teams from all over the country participated in this competition. Hasan Mahmud said Bangladesh Television did not organise a debate competition for a long time.
"After the prime minister gave me the responsibility of the information and broadcasting ministry, I asked why the debate competition was stopped.
Then the officials of the television told me that the government is criticised a lot in the competition, that's why it has been closed. I said there must be criticism. The government must also be criticised in the society," he added.
Saying that there cannot be a society without criticism, Dr Hasan said there must be criticism in society, there must be criticism of those in charge.
Meanwhile, A High Court (HC) Circuit Bench will be formed in Chattogram within two months as demanded by the local lawyers, said Information Minister Hasan Mahmud.
The minister said he has talked to the law minister regarding the formation of HC circuit bench here.
He came up with the remarks while speaking at a function marking the installation of the executive committee of Chattogram District Bar Association on Thursday night.