BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday alleged that the Awami League government has been using the energy sector as a weapon to plunder public money.
“The main reason behind the current energy crisis is corruption. It (energy) is a great weapon for the government. They have been using the energy sector as a major tool for plundering through corruption," he said.
Speaking at a seminar, the BNP leader said the government has been plundering public money from every other sector apart from energy as well, putting people’s lives and livelihoods at stake.
“You have seen how they have indulged in corruption in the health sector, endangering people’s lives and health during the Covid period. You have also seen how five people lost their lives when a girder fell in Uttara while hundreds of people are dying in accidents on the bridges and roads across the country,” he observed.
The BNP leader compared the Awami League government with the notorious and brutal Bargis - a light cavalry mercenary group of the Maratha Empire known for large-scale plunder in Bengal during the Maratha invasions in the 18th century. “They (AL) are now playing the role of Bargis.”
BNP arranged the seminar titled “Corruption is the source of the energy crisis” at the Jatiya Press Club.
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, who was the power and energy minister in Khaleda Zia's government in 1991, presented the keynote paper at the seminar.
In the keynote paper, Mosharraf highlighted the adverse effects of the rise in fuel prices on the economy, the suffering of the common people, and rampant corruption and plundering by the ruling party in the power and energy sector.
Fakhrul said the freedom fighters liberated the country to establish a free, sovereign, liberal and democratic society, but the current regime has completely turned the country into a ‘fascist’ state, obliterating democracy and people’s rights: “We now can't talk anywhere, can't write anywhere and can't go anywhere.”
He also said corruption is widespread in the country due to the lack of democracy and accountability of the government.
Referring to extensive security measures that were taken on Sunday centering Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s programme marking the August 21 grenade attack of 2004, the BNP leader questioned why the head of government is so tense about her security.
He alleged that the Prime Minister has been repeatedly talking about plots to mislead people.
“Why are you saying again and again that a conspiracy is being hatched? If this is the case, how have you run the country for the past 15-16 (sic) years? You say that terrorism has been eliminated. So why are you thinking about it now? They’re running Bangladesh every moment by resorting to lies and deception and fooling people,” the BNP leader observed.
Fakhrul said people have started to wake up now on their own. “Police claimed Sumon Sheikh committed suicide after he was taken to thana ( Hatirjheel Police Station). But actually, he was tortured to death. People took over the roads themselves and laid siege to the gate of the police station (protesting the incident.”.
Besides, he said the tea workers came out on the streets demanding an increase in their daily wages to Tk300 from Tk120.
The BNP secretary general demanded the resignation of the government, dissolution of parliament and holding of the next election under a non-partisan caretaker administration to establish a government of the people.
