Top Quotes of 2016

“The campaign being run in different media, that if a power plant is built in Rampal near the Sundarbans it will harm the Sundarbans massively, has no scientific basis.”

Environment and Forest Minister 

Anwar Hossain Manju 

in Parliament 

“If people cooperated with us and refrained from putting up billboards and banners, mayors wouldn't need to resort to hooliganism.”

DNCC MAYOR ANNISUL HUQ AT A

RESS CONFERENCE IN THE CAPITAL IN AUGUST

“Discuss with parties that have representatives in parliament and adopt a realistic system for holding elections… Those not in parliament have no right to talk about this.” 

Jatiya Party Chairman  HM Ershad 

in November at a programme in the capital about an acceptable election system

“…Some TV channels telecast negative sides of news taking advantage of freedom [of the press], which hampers peace and creates chaos.”

Information Minister

Hasanul Haq Inu 

told parliament in July

“When we see people, global elites, wealthy corporations seemingly living by a different set of rules, avoiding taxes, manipulating loopholes... this feeds a profound sense of injustice.”

Barack Obama said in Greece in

November as he travelled Europe for the last time as US president 

“I believe my husband. I believe my husband.”

Melania Trump

told CNN about the sexual assault allegations against Donald Trump in 

October

“People become happy to see flowers, but I get scared. I just stare at them and wonder if they are meant for love or for profit.”

Roads and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader

at a programme in the capital in December

“It's unbelievable that a person like him can utter such an unacceptable and illogical statement [Minister Sayedul Hoque's alleged derogatory comment on a minority community attacked in Nasirnagar]. We will certainly take organisational and other actions if anyone submits evidence to us in this regard.”

AL Joint General Secretary 

Mahbubul Alam Hanif

at a press conference in November 

“We have repeatedly said that we want impartial judicial inquiry into the incident (attack on minorities in Nasirnagar) because we think the investigation will never be neutral if it is conducted by police or administration.” 

Eminent rights activist 

Sultana Kamal at a press conference at the capital's Liberation War Museum in November

“What we have seen at Madarpur Santal village [in Gaibandha] cannot merely be termed a brutal communal attack. It can be compared with the brutality committed in 1971.” 

Sanjeeb Drong, General Secretary of 

Bangladesh Adivasi Forum  in November

“Let me ask you, have you even read the United States Constitution?... In this document, look for the words, look for the words, liberty and equal protection (under) law… You have sacrificed nothing. And no one.”

Khizr Khan, father of a slain Muslim American soldier,

told Donald Trump in July 

“The people of Bangladesh are exposed to severe harm due to smuggling of drugs from the neighbouring country.”

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan

about Yaba factories in Myanmar in October 

“If I could, I would have walked away leaving the bus here. But I cannot do this... I have to think about my passengers.”

Sohel Rana,  a bus driver fuming over the

long  tailback in the capital's Farmgate area in October