Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has slammed the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, alleging that it would encourage black money and corruption.
“It's a budget for whitening black money… for how to do corruption. Higher allocations have been made for communication sector, as corruption is easier here,” he said at a discussion at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) on Friday.
Pro-BNP teachers of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) hosted the discussion on programmes and policies of former president and the party's founder Ziaur Rahman in agricultural revolution and rural development.
The BNP leader claimed that the current government is rooted in lies and all of its statistics are false and fabricated. This budget is unprecedented. Where is the share of employment in the budget? Those who used to run small businesses in Dhaka are now returning to their villages, but only to struggle with a different form of job crisis.
Referring to the Lok Sabha elections in India, Mirza Fakhrul Islam said, “People find a way out even if there is a minimum democracy. The ruling block had anticipated winning 400 seats and aimed at amending their constitution to establish a Hindu nation. But the Indian people foiled it.”
He praised the Indian election commission for its pivotal role in upholding the people’s right to vote. At the same time, he pointed out a contrasting scenario of the election commission and other institutions in Bangladesh.
“None of our institutions are kept (unharmed). They destroyed the election system, curtailed the freedom of the judiciary, and took the bureaucracy under their grip. We have to rise from these ruins and revive the young generation,” he added.
He also noted that a denial of Ziaur Rahman is tantamount to a denial of the country’s independence. “There is no way to undermine Ziaur Rahman. He emerged as a saviour for the nation during its difficult times.”