Bangladesh Nationalist
Party (BNP)
secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam
Alamgir alleged on Friday that Awami
League president and prime minister
Sheikh Hasina misguided the people by
giving wrong information in her
address
to the nation .
In reference to Hasina’s claim that the
ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL)
took office after winning the 5 January
election, Fakhrul alleged that the AL
“occupied the state power completely
unfairly using the election commission
and law enforcement.”
The BNP secretary general was giving the
party’s formal reaction to Hasina’s
Thursday’s address to the nation, at a
press conference at the BNP
chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Reacting to AL president Sheikh Hasina’s
claim that whatever progress Bangladesh
made since its inception was done by the
AL, Mirza Fakhrul said, “Hundreds of
thousands of people died from famine
due to the misrule and corruption from
1972 to 1975. And it is Ziaur Rahman
who made the country’s economy
vibrant. Bangladesh turned around under
his [Zia] prudent leadership.”
The BNP leader claimed that a
“plutocratic rule” is now in place in
Bangladesh and said, “The rich have
become richer and the poor have become
poorer in the eight years of AL rule.”
The BNP leader listed incidents of
irregularities, corruption and scams in
the financial sector namely Bangladesh
Bank’s $101m cyber heist, Hall-Mark
Sonali Bank scam, share market scam
and Basic Bank scam, and alleged
country’s financial institutions are on the
verge of destruction thanks to political
intervention.
“Without taking action against corruption,
bailing out the [scam-ridden] banks by
thousands of taka from tax payers’
money is being institutionalised and this
is unethical. “
Referring to Hasina’s claim about the
GDP growth, Fakhrul said the nation is
being misguided through repeated GDP
growth claims. “The GDP growth rate has
crossed the 7 per cent mark during the
BNP regime and is now rather declining.”
About Hasina’s hope that all political
parties will join the next general elections,
the BNP leader said, “We want to join the
election. But it must be ensured that the
election is organised by a neutral, strong
and competent election under a neutral
election-time government.”
He also spoke of bringing an end to the
“process of wiping out the opposition,
giving the media freedom”, and
establishing a true democratic”
atmosphere for ensuring participation of
all parties in the polls.
He hoped that Sheikh Hasina will tread
the path of democracy renouncing the
“dangerous path of introducing one-party
rule by killing democracy.”
Fakhrul also hoped that the AL president
will consult opposition parties to work out
ways and means for the next election as
well as for the country’s politics and will
show a ray of hope in line with the
desires of the people.
