Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Saturday alleged that the government had turned the Anti-Corruption Commission into a ‘BNP suppression commission’.
‘The fascist government has once again conspired against the BNP leaders, and the Anti-Corruption Commission has become a tool of this plot. As if the ACC has now become the BNP suppression commission,’ he said.
Mosharraf made the remarks while speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Naya Paltan central office.
The press conference was arranged in protest against the court order to confiscate moveable (bank accounts) and immovable (land-related) properties of BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman in a case filed by the ACC.
Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, said the charges brought against Tarique Rahmam and Dr Zubaida Rahman in the case filed by the ACC were false, baseless and unfounded. The (court) order that was passed is vindictive and at the behest of the government.’
He alleged that the current ‘vindictive’ government had been spreading lies like Goebbels by filing a case on false, fabricated and imagery charges against the party acting chairman and his wife.
The BNP leader said that the court gave the verdict in the ‘false and conspiratorial case as per a directive of the government only to destroy the morale of the BNP leaders and workers and mislead the common people.
‘We strongly protest and condemn the government’s nefarious activities and demand the cancellation of the dictated court verdict and withdrawal of the ‘false and conspiratorial’ case against Tarique and Zubaida,’ the BNP leader said.
Mosharraf alleged that the case was filed against Tarique for the property that he doesn’t own and he has no relation with it. ‘He was shown owner of the fictitious assets. Even, imaginary allegations have been brought against Tarique Rahman and Dr Zubaida in the case for the assets they paid tax.’
He said that the government would not be able to put Tarique’s leadership under question and belittle his wife with such an order of the court. ‘The ongoing movement to restore democracy, human rights, voting rights and the rule of law cannot be directed to another direction or foiled.’
Mosharraf bemoaned that though the ruling party leaders are indulging in ‘widespread’ corruption, the ACC had turned a blind eye to the government’s corruption.
‘The ACC does not take any action against those the government-backed businessmen and the ruling party leaders and activists have created a paradise of corruption in the country,’ he observed.
The BNP leader said that the court order against Tarique and his wife had been given at a time when the country’s people have woken up to oust the current regime. ‘The government has got panicked seeing the mass wave of people towards BNP’s programmes. All these things are being done by the government to stop or weaken the ongoing movement.’
Mosharraf warned that no repressive acts could suppress people and foil the current movement for the restoration of democracy.
Meanwhile, the leaders and activists of Dhaka South City unit staged a demonstration in Nayapaltan area protesting the court order against Tarique and Zubaida.
