Punishment inevitable no matter how influential you are: Quader on Benazir

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, regardinf the court order to seize the movable, immovable assets of former inspector general of police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, said “No one can get away with crime. The ACC (Anti-Corruption Commission) is independent. The judiciary is independent. Why would we (the government) save any convicted person? Punishment is inevitable if you commit crime, no matter how influential you are.”

The AL general secretary said this while addressing a press conference at the party central in the capital’s Bangabandhu Avenue.

Earlier on Thursday, a Dhaka court ordered the seizure of all movable and immovable assets held by former IGP Benazir Ahmed along with 83 land deeds. The court also ordered to freeze his bank accounts.

The order came against an ACC petition that sought seizure of assets held by former IGP Benazir and his family members, as part of its investigation into allegations of illegal wealth accumulation against them.

Obaidul Quader said, “Anybody can get involved in crime regardless of the fact how influential they are. The point is whether the government has the moral courage to punish them or not.”

“The Awami League government has that moral courage. No one can get away with crime. Why would we protect any convicted person? No matter whether he is the IGP or the army chief, they must be punished according to the law of the country. The government doesn’t have any obligation to protect him,” he added.

Obaidul Quader further said, “All the convicts in the Abrar Fahad (BUET student) were members of Chhatra League. Despite that, the government didn’t protect them. Even the convicts in the Bishwajit murder case were hanged. The government didn’t protect them either.”

Criticising the BNP secretary general, Obaidul Quader said, “Mirza Fakhrul Islam and the BNP are so far away from reality. They failed to foil the elections. They also failed in their movement to topple the government. They have nowhere to go now. We (Awami League) achieved power, did not grab it.”

He further said, “Their friends (the US) no longer encourage them like before. They (BNP leaders) used to have breakfast and dinner at the US Embassy once. Now, their dream of coming to power with the help of foreign friends no longer exists.”