Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Saturday questioned the government's silence about transaction of $300 million as mentioned in US court documents of the case involving prime minister Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
"The people [of Bangladesh] want to know the source of the $300 million fund of illicit transaction. Who is the owner of this money -- a special individual or the people?" BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam asked at a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
He pointed out that despite "no mention" of any Bangladesh journalist or political leader in the US case, the Awami League government arrested elderly journalist Shafik Rehman, on the basis of a Facebook status of Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
"The US court declined to recognise Joy as a victim [of any plot to abduct and kill him]... Based only on his facebook status, and at the directive of the police headquarters in Dhaka, an FIR (First information report) was registered, secret probe was conducted, a case was filed and an old, gentleman -- Shafik Rehman -- was arrested and taken on remand," said Mirza Fakhrul.
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He gave reference to the US court documents which showed that the court had on 4 March 2015 dismissed the claim of kidnapping plot.
The BNP secretary general criticised the cabinet ministers and ruling party leaders at different levels for their propaganda that there was a plot to abduct and kill Joy although the court nullified such claim.
The BNP leader termed imiginary the allegations of 'complicity' against Shafik Rehman, Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman and some BNP leaders abroad since the arrest of Shafik Rehman.
"But why is the governmeent so silent about the $300 million involving the name of Sajeeb Wazed Joy as specified in the documents submitted to the US court?" asked Mirza Fakhrul.
He went on saying that millions of Taka had been looted from the share market the banks but the govenment is not bringing the culprits to book. "Is there any correlation between the two?" he said insisting on fair and effective investigation into the matter.
"Because of the culture of impunity, the country's central bank reserve money is being looted today," he pointed out.