Ali sorry for puffing in public

Social Welfare Minister Syed Mohsin Ali has apologised for smoking on the stage during a school programme on Monday.

Minister puffs to spark furore

In his Facebook status on Tuesday he promised that it would never happen again.

"I am utterly embarrassed by the picture of me which has been published in several news media. I am not denying that I am a chain smoker, but smoking in public was obviously not the right thing to do," reads the Facebook status posted at 10.35am on Tuesday.

The Minister has confirmed to bdnews24.com that the status had been posted by him.

On Monday, Ali lit a cigarette at function to give awards to the students of the Sylhet Border Guard Public School and College who scored the highest in the last year's Junior School Certificate (JSC) and Primary School Certificate (PSC) examinations.

He was seen puffing, oblivious of the fact that smoking in public places including educational institutions was a punishable offence.

A parent who attended the function had told bdnews24.com that when speakers were extolling moral virtues and advising the students to dedicate themselves to the service of the country, "the minister felt like lighting a cigarette just then".

The social networking sites were flooded immediately with remarks on Ali's smoking fiasco.

"I sincerely apologise for the incident which happened kind of unconsciously. I hope you will pardon me considering my self-realisation," Ali wrote in his Facebook status.