The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Saturday said that the government established a precedent by grabbing firms of Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.
‘The government has not stopped harassing Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, but has also occupied his firms,’ BNP standing committee member Selima Rahman told a protest rally in front of the National Press Club.
The protest rally was organised by the Bangladesh Nagarik Odhikar Andolan demanding release of all political prisoners, including BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
She said, ‘Today the people are seeing their [government] grabbing. How a Nobel laureate is being harassed. The firms of Muhammad Yunus are being taken over.’
Saying that grabbing is a habit of the ruling Awami League people, she said that the AL people were committing rape at educational institutions.
‘You have seen the incident of Jahangirnagar University. Every day in the newspaper you see how women are being oppressed and abused,’ she said.
Commenting that there is no remedy for any irregularity, Selima said that the judiciary was completely trampled by the ruling party.
Speaking about the market situation in the rally, Selima said that the prices of commodities kept skyrocketing.
‘How can a common man feed his family? The government is saying every day that the price of goods would decrease. I say they will not cut it. Their syndicate will not lower the price,’ she said.
Addressing the rally, BNP vice-chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo said, ‘About 300 global personalities made a statement for Muhammad Yunus. If he is in this situation, then where are we in Bangladesh?’
He said that a few days ago the prime minister said that the price of essential commodities would decrease but people did not believe her.
‘As long as this government is there, I can guarantee that the people of this country will be in danger because of the level they have taken the economy of Bangladesh. Inflation will never come down through corrupt people and looters,’ he added.
