Bangladesh minister steps down after obscenity-filled Facebook Live, leaked phone call

Bangladesh’s Minister for Information Murad Hasan resigned from the post on Tuesday.

International desk: Bangladesh’s Minister for Information Murad Hasan resigned on Tuesday after a slew of recent controversies landed him in hot water.

BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had demanded Hasan’s resignation for his derogatory remarks against Jaima Rahman.

Shortly afterwards, a leaked phone conversation of the state minister with a film actress set off a storm of criticism.

This led to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordering his resignation on Monday.

In the leaked audio, a person can be heard using abusive language and threatening the actress. That person is said to be Murad Hasan, though it has not been conclusively proved.

Top Awami League leaders said if the allegations against Murad Hasan were proved to be true, the party would take action against him.

Murad Hasan, who has a degree in medicine, was first elected Member of Parliament from Jamalpur-4 (Sarishabari, Mesta and Titpalya) constituency in 2008.

After winning the same seat for the second time in the 11th Parliamentary Election in 2018, Sheikh Hasina appointed him Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Five months after the formation of the government, Murad was removed from the health ministry and made the Minister of State for Information in May 2019.