Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan on Sunday likened Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to leprosy disease.

"BNP is like leprosy in Bangladesh politics and we have to be aware that there is no outbreak of the disease and it does not cause any damage for Bangladesh", he cautined.

The minister was speaking as chief gust at a discussion programme at National Press Club on 'National Mourning Day August 15' organised by 'Muktijuddhar Santan Sangbadik Forum', an organisation of journalists whose parents fought for the country's war of liberation.

Shajahan Khan said the members of Awami League (AL) and children of freedom fighters should be more alert about BNP’s activities.

He claimed that the founder of BNP, Ziaur Rahman, supported and backed the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975 and after that he took over the power and rehabilitated the anti-liberation people including Ghulam Azam in Bangladesh politics.

Mentioning about BNP's supporting the Hefajat-e-Islam's programme on May 5, 2013 and recent quota reform and road safety movements, Minister Khan said BNP has a tendency to cash in on others' movements.

The minister also alleged that by creating agitation, BNP wanted to dislodge Sheikh Hasina from power and wanted to bring their leader Khaleda Zia out of the jail.

National Press Club President Muhammad Shafiqur Rahman said, some ill-minded people influenced youths in the names of quota reform and road safety movement to create mistrust among the people against Awami League.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalist (BFUJ) President Molla Jalal also addressed the programme chaired by host organisation's president Jihadur Rahman Jihad.