They have ruined the country: Mirza Fakhrul on Benazir, Aziz

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said people like former army chief General (retd) Aziz Ahmed and former inspector general of police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed have ruined the country.

The BNP secretary general said this while addressing a discussion organised by the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal on the 43rd death anniversary of party founder Ziaur Rahman in the capital today, Monday.

He was referring to the unprecedented corruption charges against the former IGP and US sanctions imposed on the former army chief on the allegation of being involved in corruption.

He said, “The former IGP has fled the country. They have ruined the country.”

The BNP leader also claimed the ruling Awami League has clung on to power using the police, administration and other state agencies.

Mirza Fakhrul said, “Why doesn’t the Awami League hold a fair election? It is because they know that they won’t secure even 10 seats in parliament. The Awami League leaders always talk big. Tell them to hold an election under an independent and neutral election commission to find out who is more popular.”

The BNP secretary general further said, “The future of our nation and our freedom entirely depends on whether we could defeat this government through a peaceful election or not. The Awami League not only has ruined the democratic practices and politics in the country, it also has marred our economy too. The prices of gas, power, vegetables and rice have reached an unbelievable level. It’s really hard nowadays to feed the children with eggs and milk.”

“At one end people are dying without food, while someone is buying a cow at Tk 4 million on the other. The country’s economy has reached such a state where the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.”

Mirza Fakhrul alleged that, “The ruling Awami League wants to remove the fact from the history that former president and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman was the announcer of the independence.”

The BNP secretary general further said, “We never deny the contributions of Sheikh Mujib. How could we forget the contribution of the man whose announcement of independence initiated the liberation war?”

Mohila Dal president Afroza Abbas presided over the discussion conducted by Mohila Dal general secretary Sultana Ahmed.