– The BNP leader terms AL’s said tough stance on graft ‘eyewash’
Dhaka Office: BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has raised questions regarding how former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed and his family managed to leave the country despite serious allegations of corruption.
Speaking at a discussion today, Fakhrul criticised the ruling party’s claims of not sparing wrongdoers, labelling those claims as “mere eyewash and deception.”
“I saw a media report that says Benazir and his family went to Singapore on May 4. Before leaving, he emptied all his bank accounts, withdrawing around Tk 60 crore. The amount could be much bigger,” he said.
The BNP leader further said, “My question is, how did he leave the country? What significance the court order to confiscate his assets and freeze his bank accounts and the Anti-Corruption Commission’s move to file a case against him have? When he was barred from going outside the country, how did he sneak off to Singapore right under the government’s nose?”
He also highlighted that ruling party leaders had made remarks about their tough stance on corruption. “Do they (the government) think people are stupid? They understand all these are eyewash and deceptions. You’re ruling the country by resorting to trickery,” he added.
Fakhrul accused the government of nurturing not only Benazir but also Aziz Ahmed, a former army chief, along with countless other corrupt individuals. He claimed that the Awami League has turned Bangladesh into a “safe haven for plundering”.
The discussion was organised by the Bangladesh Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad, a platform of pro-BNP professionals, at the Jatiya Press Club to mark the 43rd death anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
“We must protect the country from this. Through the struggle of the people of Bangladesh, we will defeat this monster wreaking havoc everywhere, establish a government of the people, and restore true democracy,” Fakhrul said.
