Transport minister should step down over Madaripur accident: BNP

Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) urged the road transport and bridges minister to step down taking all responsibilities of tragic accident in Madaripur that claimed 21 lives. 

BNP made this demand at a meeting of the standing committee, the party’s highest decision making forum, held on Monday night.

The party thinks the road transport and highways division is solely to be blamed for the accident as the bus that lost control and fell off the Padma bridge expressway did not have fitness certificate and route permit.

BNP expressed deep shock to the bereaved family members and prayed for the departed souls.

The standing committee meeting also discussed the attack on pro-BNP lawyers and journalists by ruling party lawyers and police during Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) polls.

The unruly behavior of ruling party men in SCBA polls proved that no free and fair election can be held at any level with Awami League government in power, said the BNP standing committee.

BNP said Awami League has violated the sanctity of the highest court by using police force illegally there over SCBA polls.

The meeting also expressed resentment over the exorbitant price of Hajj package. Pilgrims from neighbouring India and Pakistan have to pay almost half the money to perform the Hajj, said the meeting urging the government to decrease the Hajj package to half so that people can afford it.

BNP standing committee also expressed deep resentment over arrest and subsequent remand of 51 BNP men from the city’s Banani Club on Sunday night.

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman presided over the meeting virtually while the standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamir Uddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas,  Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud took part in the meeting.