BANGLADESH

Communications minister Syed Abul Hossain says he is sorry for the rundown roads but will not resign as demanded by several quarters including ruling alliance MPs. He made the comment on Saturday when he visited Gazipur to see repair work of Dhaka-Maymensingh route. Replying to queries posed by reporters on whether he would apologise to the people, the minister said he was sorry.

Hossain, however, questioned the logic of the demand of his resignation and blamed the finance ministry once again for not allocating 'sufficient' fund for his ministry.

Asked whether he wants finance minister A M A Muhith to resign, he denied to answer.

Muhith at a cabinet meeting last week disputed Hossain's allegation of being cash-strapped.

He had blamed a 'lack of supervision by the communications ministry' for the current conditions of the roads.

Hossain also came under fire from party MPs at parliament. The ruling alliance's MP Rashed Khan Menon went as far as to demand that the minister step down for his failure.

The transport owners had stopped running buses on the Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Tangail and 11 other routes touching Gazipur since Aug 10 and 13 respectively, demanding repairs.

Hossain rushed to Gazipur and then sat with the Mohakhali Bus Terminal Transport Owners' Association at the terminal after the prime minister earlier ordered to settle the issue.

The worn-down roads became the subject of fresh discussion after celebrated filmmaker Tareque Masud and ATN News CEO Ashfaque (Mishuk) Munier and three others died last week in a road crash in Manikganj.