The Joint General Secretary of ruling Awami League Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif has explained his position on going to Canada amid the ongoing Corona (Covid-19) disaster in the country.

In a talk show on a private television station in Bangladesh on Saturday night (June 27), he made it clear on his going to Canada by joining directly from his home there.

Hanif said, “I am very sorry to say that the whole world, including Bangladesh, is now devastated, upset and endangered in Corona.” Under the leadership of our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, every effort is being taken to find a way out of the crisis with our limited resources.

“I’ve been there myself from the beginning, I’ve been to my own area several times,” he said. When Corona was attacked in Bangladesh, I went to my district Kushtia. I had a meeting with the local law enforcement and doctors there. There was no PCR lab in the hospital, I have arranged a PCR lab within seven days.

“I have been there four times during the Corona period,” he said. As a Member of Parliament we have tried to stand by the people of the area as much as possible. We have sat in the party office and contacted various district level leaders including party leaders, monitored so that they can fulfill their coronary responsibilities. We have always contacted them and monitored them.

“My kids, they study here (Canada),” he said. When the war crimes trial started in 2013, when violence started all over the country. But at that time I was bombed more than once. Because I was there very vocally, very vocally protesting against the violence of the war criminal BNP-Jamaat. At that time, they threatened to bomb me but when they failed to stop me, my eldest son was threatened on the telephone that he would be kidnapped from there.

The Awami League leader said, “It was our family decision at the time since my brother and two sisters lived in Canada. My elder brother is in Canada since his sixties and my two sisters are over 30 years. So they said to send the family here because it would not be right to put the children at such risk. Then I send my kids here (Canada), get admitted to the school here. My eldest son graduated from school and is now employed and will be admitted to Masters again from next year.

“My wife comes here to see my children,” he said. In the meantime, he was trapped after coming this time. My wife has been sick for some time. I took her to Singapore. Thyroid problems are on the rise. After seeing the doctors here, she was given time again on June 29.

“Neither I nor any of my family have ever applied for Canadian citizenship,” he said. You see, there was a clause at the end where the Canadian government mentioned that those who have minors, those who have guardians can come. Since I am a diplomatic passport holder as a Member of Parliament and my children live here. They applied as minors they stay here so we come. Then the Canadian government gave me approval to come.

Hanif said, “We, the central leaders of the Awami League, especially those who are out of the country, must get permission from the party president, the Prime Minister.” It can’t be that I don’t have any responsibility towards my wife and children because I do politics.

“I can’t tell if my three children are here,” he said. Because they have online classes here. They are tested, they have been tested. They are starting the semester again.

I have a responsibility to my area, to the people of my country. But before I came, I had arranged everything. I have also explained to my organizational editors the political responsibilities that I have.

This people’s representative said, “If you search, you will find that one of the two or four political leaders and MPs who have worked on the side of the people during the Corona period can find me.” I have been in my area all the time, from doctors to administration, party leaders, local people’s representatives, we have tried to control it by holding meetings with everyone.