The Jatiya Party Chairman has accused the ruling Awami League of ‘hijacking’ Dhaka’s billboards to highlight the government’s various achievements with the next Parliament election just around the corner.Hussain Muhammad Ershad felt the government had been ‘encroaching’ the billboards.
“I read an article in an English-language newspaper yesterday on the matter. I will term it a ‘hijack’,” he said while exchanging Eid-ul-Fitr greetings at the party’s Banani office on Friday.
The billboards appeal to the people to re-elect the Awami League, saying ‘Development needs continuity’.
Party leaders refused to open up when asked if the use of the billboards was being paid for.
Advertising agencies said they were not even asked before the Awami League’s advertisements were put up on the billboards they had leased to promote their clients’ products.
Opposition BNP has said such a move would not sway the people in the ruling party’s favour.
Ershad also took a dig at his key ally for the move. “I don’t think it has done any good,” he said. “Everyone’s criticising it.”
“I don’t understand why they (the government) did it,” he said. – bdnews24.com
