State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat on Tuesday (23 July) attributed the torching of the country's central data centre to BNP-Jamaat activists saying they carried out the terroristic act to disengage the country from the rest of the world as part of a plot taking the advantage of the students' quota movement.
"In the absence of the internet, we have fallen in trouble. We could not communicate with the outside world. At that time, the syndicate of disinformation carried out campaign from abroad," he told newsmen at a briefing along with three other ministers.
The state minister said the miscreants virtually used students as shields while turning the peaceful movement into a violent one.
Law Minister Anisul Huq briefed the journalists while Public Administration Minister Farhad Hossain and Education Minister Muhibul Hassan Chowdhury were present.
Arafat said according to their plan BNP-Jamaat clique kept backup to keep them connected with the outside world after the disruption of internet service. Using their backup system they supplied misinformation to global media only in their favour.
The international media only focused on the skirmishes between students and not on the government's efforts for a peaceful solution to the crisis and meeting the demands of the agitating students, he said.
The government has come to a peaceful settlement with the students, but foreign media didn't cover it, he noted.
The state minister said the government is trying to restore the internet service as soon as possible. Journalists should inform the whole world about what actually happened in Bangladesh.
About the massive destruction of public properties by hooligans, Arafat said, terrorists, attackers, militants, BNP and Jamaat-Shibir intruded on the students' peaceful movement to destroy major infrastructures like BTV, Setu Bhaban, Data Centre and toll plaza.
Holding the attackers and arsonists responsible for the causalities Arafat said, "When you are under attack, you would certainly fight back for self-defence. So, the attackers are responsible for the casualties".
Condemning the attack and expressing deep shock for every casualty, Arafat said, everyone responsible for the causalities would be brought to justice.
