Bangladesh Nationalist Party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Saturday alleged that there was a blueprint to establish the forces of those who ‘sell independence’ and the anti-liberation elements everywhere.
Speaking at a rally to raise mass awareness about dengue, he also said that the interim government had to act in a stronger way to address public issues and counter various schemes by the cohorts of the ousted fascist regime of the Awami League.
‘You [government] must oversee who is being appointed to the administration. Consider who your friends are. If you place in key positions those, who have served Sheikh Hasina for the past 15 years, they will not work in your favour; instead, they may engage in subversive acts,’ the BNP leader warned.
He alleged that the associates of autocrats had been appointed to the health and other ministries. ‘We are witnessing what seems to be a blueprint to establish two forces—those who sell independence and anti-liberation elements—everywhere from the home ministry to the education ministry.’
Rizvi said that the government was failing to perform its responsibilities properly due to this blueprint. ‘The prices of essential items are on the rise. If you [government] had made timely market interventions, prices would not have soared like this.’
He said that a syndicate was extorting Tk 50 crore every night at the Karwan Bazar kitchen market, driving up the prices of all vegetables and essential items. ‘What is your police administration doing to address this extortion? Various syndicates are active in every market, not just in Karwan Bazar.’
The BNP leader expressed frustration that the interim government was taking much time to eliminate market and business syndicates. ‘People are now saying that prices of goods increased during Sheikh Hasina’s time and continue to rise. What is the difference? This is not supposed to happen.’
Rizvi said that while a ‘serious disease’—Sheikh Hasina—had fled the country, dengue had emerged in Bangladesh, claiming many lives.
Low-lying areas like Jurain had historically faced severe waterlogging, but the previous government was oblivious to this issue. Sheikh Hasina’s intention was not public service as her intention was to loot public money and siphon off it abroad, he added.
He alleged that Hasina’s relatives, ruling party leaders and their associates, along with business syndicates like S Alam and Summit Group, plundered vast sums of public money under the guise of development activities and siphoned it off abroad.
‘How Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy leads a lavish life and resides in an expansive house in the USA despite having no visible job or business,’ Rizvi questioned.
‘The truth is coming to light. However, people could not raise questions during the rule of the fascist regime; those who tried ended up in jail.’
He said that the International Crimes Tribunal was working to bring Hasina back, as it had already issued a warrant for her arrest.
‘The tribunal will take action against her,’ the BNP senior leader hoped.
The Dhaka South City unit of BNP organised the programme near Jurain rail gate in the capital to raise awareness about dengue. Rizvi and other leaders also distributed leaflets in the area.