LGRD Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said branding the government a “failure” before it has completed “even five months” in office reflects extreme political and social intolerance.

“We become restless over very small things. It has not even been five months, and we are already saying that this government has failed. This is just intolerance... extreme intolerance,” he said.

Fakhrul made the remarks while addressing a seminar titled “The Role of the Media in Sustainable Democracy”, organised by the Television Editors Council (TEC) at a Dhaka hotel.

The BNP government took the oath on February 17 this year and will complete six months in office on August 17.

Fakhrul said patience and tolerance of differing opinions were essential for sustainable democracy, adding that branding a government a failure within such a short period and creating unrest by taking to the streets ran counter to democratic culture.

The minister also said those who say they will not allow the government to complete its five-year term were speaking the same language Sheikh Hasina had used during the fascist regime.