Talk of the town

"Find out whether they pay taxes and how lavish their houses are. "
about those who staged sit-in programme at the Central Shaheed Minar on Eid day in protest of the bad conditions of the roads.

"Those who in the name of civil society raise voice for democracy do not always play the role in favour of democracy. Sometimes, the activities of the civil society have made military dictators in the country the beneficiaries."
About some civil society members.

"They will write in the comfort of air-conditioned rooms using the power we generate. Let them feel what it feels like without power for two days."
about the critics who wrote newspaper articles questioning the need to generate power by
subsidising the sector.

— SHEIKH HASINA
prime minister

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Quote of the year

Eat less.
FARUK KHAN
former commerce minister
as a solution of rising prices of essentials and adulteration of food.

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Certified Honesty

"I read the report [the cable]. Except the phrase 'less than honest,' the rest of the report highly praised me for my work."
ABUL HOSSAIN
former communication minister
about the US diplomatic cable sent by former American ambassador James F Moriarty branding him “less than honest.” The cable was leaked by Wikileaks.

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Remaking History

"BNP is the only pro-liberation party. Awami League did not fight in the Liberation War. They only went from this side to the other side."
BEGUM KHALEDA ZIA
opposition leader and BNP chairperson
about the present government's attempt to try the war criminals of 1971

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The Garrulous Minister

"Rubbish, totally rubbish."
binning a CPD comment that the economy is likely to grow by 6.2-6.3 percent, not 6.7 percent as estimated by BBS for the outgoing fiscal year 2010-2011.

"It happened because of my mistake. I was so busy and worried that I signed the paper without looking at it. Somebody else will be a convenor now."
About his name being present as the head of the advising committee for stock market.

"Banglaesh's share market is an odd market. There is none like this in the world. Whenever I reply to something, it affects the market. It is not possible to give a reply."
about the share market of Bangladesh.

— ABUL MAL ABDUL MUHITH
finance minister

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The Osman Brothers

"To all those who call us godfathers, I want to say that if we really were godfathers we would have already planted banyan trees on their graves."
NASIM OSMAN
Jatiya Party lawmaker
threatening Prothom Alo for its reports that was critical of his brother Shamim Osman, one of the mayoral candidate in the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) polls.

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Broken Promises

"I cannot specify any timeframe or date of signing the water sharing treaty on the Teesta River as I am not an astrologer. "
DIPU MONI
foreign minister
about the possible date when the much-talked about Teesta Water Sharing treaty between India and Bangladesh will be signed.

"I wish to make a public statement and make it clear that India will not take steps that will adversely affect Bangladesh."
MANMOHAN SINGH
Indian prime minister
about Bangladesh's concern regarding the Tipaimukh Dam project in India

"We are back with full satisfaction that it (Tipaimukh project) will not do any harm to us; rather it will be good for us."
GOWHER RIZVI
foreign affairs adviser to the prime minister
about the Tipaimukh dam in India, claiming that it would have no adverse environmental impact on Bangladesh.

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Licensed to Kill

"If a driver can sign his name, can understand traffic signs and signals, can differentiate between a cow and a goat and has good driving skills, what is the problem in giving him a licence?"
SHAHJAHAN KHAN
shipping Minister
while trying to clarify his position on recommending 24,000 people for driving licences without tests.

 

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