Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said that the government was giving priority to mega projects in the national budget for 2021-22 financial year rather than the health sector as the mega projects were creating scope of ‘mega corruption’.
Fakhrul made the remark addressing a discussion organised by the party marking the World Environment Day at the National Press Club in Dhaka.
‘Why this mega project in this time when saving people’s lives is more important? We [BNP] are requesting the government to provide cash incentives to pandemic hit people. But the government pays no heed to it,’ Fakhrul said.
He alleged that the government had no relation with the people as it was not elected through people’s vote and that it allocated more for mega projects than the health sector.
‘There is a World Bank fund on climate change. They [government] got Tk 700 crore in past few years. Half of the money they gave back to the Bank and they had embezzled the rest half,’ he said.
He said that the ultimate target of the government was looting and that they had no activities without looting.
‘Commitments of political leaders, ruling party leaders and world leaders are needed for saving the environment,’ he added.
He said that there was no allocation for new poor in proposed national budget which was frustrating.
He asked the party leaders not to be frustrated as he hoped that the party chairperson Khaleda Zia would lead the movement of ‘restoring democracy’ after recovering from illness soon.
BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said that keeping role to save the green would not be possible in absence of an accountable government.
He said that the index of corruption was higher in the country.
BNP vice-chairman Hafizuddin Ahmed said that the autocrat rulers were not aware about the global warming.
He said that the fund for climate change did not reach to the common people.
‘The government is not taking any measure to save the green as it is not a democratic one. Saving the environment is not possible without establishing rule of law through mass movement,’ he said.
Among others, BNP forest and environment affairs secretary Mohammad Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul and international affairs committee member Ishraque Hossain spoke in the programme.
