politics
Toll rates for using Padma Bridge ‘too high’: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said the toll rates set by the government for crossing the much-awaited Padma Multipurpose Bridge are 'too high'.
The BNP leader made the remarks at a press conference at the party chairperson's Gulshan office.
Also read: BNP urges govt to drop expensive megaprojects to avert economic crisis
Replying to a question, he said, "We have not fully studied this issue (toll rates). But it seems to me that the fixed rates are too high."
He said the commuters will have to pay a lot more than they have to spend now to go to the southern districts.
Fakhrul also said the toll set by the government to use the Padma Bridge is much more proportionately higher than that of crossing the Jamuna Bridge. “The toll rate is almost two-time higher than that of Jamuna Bridge.”
As his attention was drawn to ruling party leaders’ comment that BNP leaders have to use the Padma Bridge with an apology, he said they want to ignore such reckless remarks.
“Is the bridge made with their (AL leaders') ancestral property? It’s made spending the money of our people. The full money has been taken from the pockets of our people,” the BNP leader observed.
Fakhrul also said the ruling party leaders 'plundered' money by spending Tk30,000 crore for a project worth Tk10,000 crore. “So, all these words do not fit in their mouths.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the government finalised the toll rates for different types of vehicles for crossing the Padma Multipurpose Bridge.
Also read: Rice price rising due to wrong policy despite new crop: BNP
The Bridges Division under Road Transport and Bridges Ministry issued a gazette notification in this regard.
According to the notification, Tk 100 toll has been fixed for motorbikes, Tk 750 for private cars and jeeps, Tk 1200 from a pick-up, Tk 1300 for microbus, Tk 1400 for small buses (with 31 seats), Tk 2000 for middle buses (with 32 seats), Tk 2400 for big-size buses, Tk 1600 for small trucks (5 tonnes), Tk 2100 for middle-size trucks (over 5 tonnes to 8 tonnes), Tk 2800 for middle-size trucks (over 8 tonnes to 11 tonnes), Tk 5500 for big trucks (up to 3 excel) Tk 6000 for trailer trucks (4 excel) and Tk 6,000 plus for trailers (over 4 excel).
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on May 11 said the much-hyped Padma Bridge will be inaugurated in June and preparations are going on for its opening.
BNP urges govt to drop expensive megaprojects to avert economic crisis
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said that Bangladesh is going through “a very alarming economic situation” amid the growing inflation rate and devaluation of the taka against the US dollar.
Speaking at a press conference the opposition leader voiced deep concern that Bangladesh may face the same consequences like Sri Lanka in the near future and suggested the government drop what it said expensive and glamorous mega projects.
He mentioned the glamorous projects such as Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox's-Bazar bullet train, the second nuclear power project, 110-storey Bangabandhu multi-storey building complex in Purbachal, Bangabandhu International Airport at Shariatpur, Paturia-Daulatdia Second Padma Bridge, Noakhali Airport, the second Bangabandhu Satellite Launch Project and shifting the capital outside Dhaka.
“These projects should be thrown away from the head (of the govt) without delay. Otherwise, there will be no alternative to facing the same fate of Sri Lanka.”
Fakhrul also questioned the justification of the implementation of some mega projects, including Rooppur nuclear power, construction of railways from Dhaka to Jessore and Payra port via Padma Bridge and railways from Chattogram to Cox's Bazar and Ghumdhum via Dohazari.
He said the country’s prominent economists have already identified these projects as white-elephant ones that will only make the public debt burden heavier.
Also read:Rice price rising due to wrong policy despite new crop: BNP
“The country has been made dependent on foreign loans by siphoning off money through mega projects,” the BNP leader observed.
The press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office was arranged to inform the media about the outcomes of the BNP standing committee’s virtual meeting that was held on Monday.
“Bangladesh’s present economic condition I think is very alarming. It’s also an ominous sign. We fear that Bangladesh may fall in danger like Sri Lanka in the near future. Our apprehension can be said realistic,” Fakhrul said.
He also said the main goal of the current regime is to make money by indulging in wide spared plundering. “The economy will rebound only when a representative government with accountability to people will be established.”
Replying to a question, the BNP leader said their party’s process of forging unity with the opposition parties is now at the final stage. “You’ll know everything, including our movement plan, when we’ll openly come up with the announcement of the unity process.”
Fakhrul said their standing committee meeting discussed elaborately the foreign currency reserves. “The macro-economy of the country has been under the most pressure now in comparison to the last 13-14 years. A kind of instability and uncertainty has been created in the economy of Bangladesh”
Also read: Bangladesh heading towards acute crisis: BNP warns
Especially, he said the meeting observed that the balance of foreign transactions is facing major problems due to rising import costs, declining exports and remittance income. ”The prices of commodities are becoming unbearable for various reasons, including the rise in the value of the US dollar against taka. It seems that the situation will get worse in the coming days.”
The BNP leader said their party policymakers also think there is no reason to be complacent about reserves as it is rapidly declining. “In the last eight months, the reserves have dropped from USD48 billion to USD42 billion. It will drop by another USD4 billion in the next two months.”
“Thus, if imports continue to increase in comparison to exports and the gap cannot be filled by remittances, then the reserves of Bangladesh Bank will run out very soon.”
“The current situation in Sri Lanka is the worst example of the dire consequences of the depletion of the reserves,” the BNP standing committee warned.
Fakhrul said their meeting observed that it will be possible to meet the import cost of only five months with the existing reserves available in Bangladesh. "Our import expenditure has increased by about 44 percent. The way the import rate has grown, the same way the export rate has not increased. On the other hand, the expatriates' income has also decreased. As a result, a deficit is being created every month. ”
He said BNP standing committee thinks that the current ‘irresponsible’ and ‘illegitimate’ government is responsible for the current horrific economic anarchy and instability.
The BNP leader said there is no alternative to dislodging the Awami League government through a united and fierce street movement to save the country, its people and to protect independence and sovereignty.
Stating that the price of the US dollar has crossed Tk100, Fakhrul said it will have a negative impact on international trade and inflation. “The government is talking about 6.22 percent inflation. But this is not at all consistent with reality. Inflation is higher in villages than in cities. The food inflation is higher than non-food products.”
According to economists, the BNP leader said the current inflation rate is 12 percent while the value of the taka is also declining as the reserves have reached a dangerous level.
“The price of everything is going up, leaving the buyers in a miserable situation. Besides, the prices of essential commodities, especially palm and soybean oil, have already gone up alarmingly due to the foul play of the ruling-party-backed syndicates. The price of rice has also increased in the last three days at this full time of harvesting season.”
Rice price rising due to wrong policy despite new crop: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that the rice price is going up even during the full Boro harvesting season due to the government’s wrong policy and a foul play of the ruling party.
Speaking at a press conference, he also said the current government has not taken any initiative to develop the country’s agriculture sector and improve the lot of farmers.
Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal arranged the press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office following a visit of its leaders to the flood-affected areas.
Also read:Bangladesh heading towards acute crisis: BNP warns
“The rice price is not supposed to rise during this full harvesting season. It’s the time when the price should come down as the Boro harvesting has begun. But the price of every variety of rice has gone up. That means there are some problems in total planning,” Fakhrul said.
He also said the government has given the charge of different ministries to such people who are directly involved in that business. “The person who is involved in the food trade has been given the charge of the Food Ministry. As a result, business is becoming more important than serving people.”
The BNP leader said the big farmers and rice traders are stockpiling paddy to sell it after some days at higher prices. “Because the price of paddy will increase and their profit will also rise in the days to come. This is their (ruling party’s trick."
Fakhrul, who served as BNP government’s state minister for agriculture, said the AL government does not have a well-thought-out plan for the development of agriculture and farmers.
“Marginal farmers now pull rickshaws and vans while many middle farmers are giving up farming as agriculture is now an unprofitable job, decreasing the cultivation of food grains,” he observed.
The BNP leader said the present government undertakes only those works where they have their own profit and commission of crores of taka. “That is why they do not build permanent dams in the haor areas.”
Referring to the recent flood in the haor regions, he said flooding is a very old problem there due to the onrush of water from upstream. “If protection can be given ……by constructing dams or building reservoirs this problem will be resolved. It will also help farmers grow two-three crops in a year. It’s unfortunate that no such programme or plan has been taken up so far."
Also read: Publish the list of Money launderers, BNP asks govt
The BNP leader also alleged that the ruling party men indulged in massive corruption in the name of dam construction in the haor region.
“Some dams have been constructed in the haor area but those are so fragile and weak that they can't hold the pressure of water for twenty-four hours,” he observed.
Citing the reports of various research institutes and the observations of local public representatives, Fakhrul said crops worth about Tk1,000 crore have been destroyed this year as huge areas in Sunamganj went under water due to the embankment collapse.
On behalf of the Krishak Dal, he placed an eight-point demand, including constructing permanent dams with cement blocks in haor, providing affected farmers with the interest-free loans, wavering interest on loans, and suspending loan installments until normalcy returns, introducing crop insurance in haor area and bringing those involved in dam construction corruption to justice.
BNP leader Mirza Abbas hopitalised with abdominal pain
BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas was admitted to a city hospital on Tuesday morning with abdominal pain.
Abbas, also a former mayor of undivided Dhaka city and an ex-minister in Khaleda Zia's last cabinet, was admitted to the Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in the capital’s Shyamoli area, said BNP’s health affairs secretary Dr Rafiqul Islam.
Also read:BNP leader Moyeen Khan hospitalised
He said Abbas was suffering from stomach aches since last night. “He was taken to the hospital in the morning as his condition worsened.”
Rafiqul said the BNP leader has already undergone some necessary medical tests and some specialist doctors have also been called from outside the hospital to ensure his proper treatment.
Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited Abbas in the hospital at noon.
Fakhrul talked to the doctors and enquired about the health condition of the BNP leader.
Also read: Khulna City mayor hospitalised
Later, the BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir went to the National Institute of Traumatology & Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Nitor) to visit Natore district unit leaders of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal SM Mostafa Anam and Shafiqul Islam Sumon who were seriously injured in a recent attack reportedly by ruling party cadres.
Bangladesh has become a paradise for money launderers: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Monday bemoaned that Bangladesh seems to have become a paradise for the money launderers.
In a statement, he also demanded that a list of those who are siphoning off money abroad be published as people want to see exemplary punishment against them.
“A vested quarter is making money illegally and again siphoning off it abroad. As if Bangladesh is now a paradise for the money launderers,” he said
Referring to a report of Global Financial Integrity (GFI), the Jatiya Party chief said Tk64,000 crore is being siphoned off on an average every year from the country.
According to the data of the GFI, he said Tk320,000 crore has been maundered from the country in five years from 2009 to 2015 while Tk4.5 lakh crore in just six years. “Of this, more than Tk1 lakh crore has been siphoned off in 2015 alone.”
READ: EVMs in national election won't be logical: GM Quader
As per media reports, GM Quader said thousands of crores of takas are being laundered from the country every year to 10 countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, the US, the UK, Switzerland, the UAE and Thailand.
“The people of the country want to know how the country's money is being siphoned off abroad by dodging the eyes of the authorities concerned. They also want to know who are abetting the money launderers of the country,” he observed.
GM Quader also said it should also be investigated whether the authorities concerned are reluctant to play their role in containing money laundering.
He said strict penalties should be ensured against the money launderers and their abettors. “It’ll never be possible to prevent money laundering if those involved in siphoning off the country’s money abroad are not punished.”
Tarique to top any list of Bangladesh money launderers: Quader
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Monday said the name of Tarique Rahman, a convicted fugitive leader of BNP, will come on top in any list of money launderers of Bangladesh.
Quader’s rebuff came in response to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s demand that the government publishes a list of those who siphoned off money from the country.
Quader, who is also road transport and bridges minister, was addressing virtually the triennial council of Meherpur district unit of Awami League.
Also read: Khaleda will be PM if BNP returns to power: Mosharraf
The AL general secretary also urged BNP secretary general to provide proofs and evidences before raising any allegations.
About fugitive businessman PK Halder who was detained in India, Quader said Halder has no relation with the ruling party. He is rather identified as a money launderer. Halder's trial will be held as per law, he mentioned, he said.
Quader called upon the party leaders and workers to make it well-organized and smarter as part of preparations for the next parliamentary elections under the leadership of party president Sheikh Hasina.
Saying 'those who have involvement with extortion, drug peddling, smuggling and terrorism will have no room in AL, Quader urged the local leaders to evaluate good and dedicated politicians in forming new committees.
Also read: Publish the list of Money launderers, BNP asks govt
Meherpur district AL President and State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain chaired the council while AL Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretary BM Mozammel Haque, Central Working Committee Members Amirul Islam Milon, Advocate Gloria Sarker Jharna and Parvin Jaman Kalpana and Meherpur district AL General Secretary MA Khaleque were present.
Khaleda will be PM if BNP returns to power: Mosharraf
BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Monday said their party chairperson Khaleda Zia will be the prime minister if it comes to power through the next general election.
“Some Awami League leaders, including Obaidul Quader, have asked who will be BNP’s prime minister? We would like to clearly announce that Begum Khaleda Zia will be our prime minister,” he said speaking at a discussion.
The BNP leader also said everybody in Bangladesh knows that BNP will come to power in the future.
“We have a three-time Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, who will be the PM of the country. But Obaidul Quader doesn't see it,” he said.
READ: BNP leader Moyeen Khan hospitalised
Gonotantra Forum, a pro-BNP platform, arranged the programme titled ‘The importance of neutral elections in resolving the ongoing crisis’ at the Jatiya Press Club.
Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, said Awami League President Sheikh Hasina in an interview with an international media said she was unwilling to be the prime minister again.
In this context, he asked Quader to say who will be Awami League’s prime minister if the party again comes to power in the next polls or after 10 years.
The BNP leader also said Awami League will suffer a defeat in the next polls as the party has already exhausted all its evil tactics. “No evil design will work in the country in the future.”
Reiterating their party’s stance on the next national election, he said BNP will not go to any polls under Sheikh Hasina. “Not just us, but people all over Bangladesh and different political parties are saying that they wouldn’t go to polls under the current regime.”
Mosharraf said they will wage a strong poplar movement to oust the government if it does not step down and hand over power to a neutral government willingly.
He urged the government to take a lesson from Sri Lanka and dissolve the Parliament quitting power, paving the way for holding the election under a non-partisan and neutral government.
"If you do that, people may be kind to you. But we know they (govt) won’t listen to our advice. Good sense won’t prevail upon them even after seeing the situation in Sri Lanka,” the BNP leader observed.
He also warned that the government will have to take all the responsibilities if it deliberately pushes Bangladesh towards a Sri Lanka-like crisis by hanging on to power.
AL to observe Hasina’s coming home from exile on Tuesday
The Awami League will mark the 42nd anniversary of the homecoming of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday with discussion meetings and prayers and distribution of charities.
On this day in 1981 Hasina returned home from six-year exile in New Delhi, India to take over as the president of Awami League and launch a 21-year pro-democracy movement against military regimes to bring the party back to power by winning the national election in 1996.
Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana were abroad on August 15, 1975 when their father Bangladesh President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated with most of his family members at his Dhanmandi-32 residence in Dhaka.
The two daughters had since then been forced to live in exile until Hasina was elected president of Awami League in her absence and returned home on this historic day amid welcome by lakhs of cheering supporters.
After landing at Dhaka’s Kurmitola airport on the rain-swept afternoon on May 17 Hasina addressed a huge rally at Manik Miah Avenue where she vowed to dedicate her life to the restoration of democracy and fulfil Bangabndhu’s unfinished task of building Bangladesh into a ‘Sonar Bangla’, a land of prosperity.
Also read: Sheikh Hasina's Homecoming Day observed
To mark the day Awami League, its front and associated bodies will organise discussions and other programmes highlighting the significance of her return and how she changed the political and development landscape of Bangladesh as the prime minister of Bangladesh.
A discussion meeting of Bangladesh Awami League will be held at Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital on Tuesday with party’s general secretary Obaidul Quader in the chair.
Bangladesh Awami Jubo League will organise another discussion programme where presidium member of Awami League Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya will attend as the chief guest.
Jubo League chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash will preside over the programme while its general secretary Moinul Hasan Khan Nikhil will conduct it.
The organisation will also distribute clothes, wheel chair and white cane to the physically challenged people during the programme.
Special prayers will be held at mosques and other places of worships across the country seeking blessings for the prime minister.
Also read: Hasina’s homecoming brought country back from darkness: Radwan Mujib
The Hindu community will arrange prayer programme at the Dhakeswari temple in the capital at 10 am, the Buddhist community at the Internatiolnal Buddhist monastery temple at Merul Badda at 9:30 am and the Christian community at the YMC church at Senpara Parbat in Mirpur-10 at 6 pm.
Bangladesh heading towards acute crisis: BNP warns
BNP on Monday warned that the country is going to face an acute crisis due to shortage of food and soaring prices of daily essentials.
“The entire nation is passing their days amid serious anxiety. Bangladesh will plunge into serious crisis,” said BNP senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office he also expressed concern that Bangladesh is moving towards ‘bankruptcy’.
Also read: Bangladesh on verge of collapse like Sri Lanka: Fakhrul
“The situation in Bangladesh can be more critical than in Sri Lanka. The people of the country won’t even find peace by crying silently amid a dire economic situation,” the BNP leader said.
He also said the condition of the people in the country is miserable as the prices of daily necessities are going up very quickly.
“Wheat can’t be imported as the major countries have stopped its export. It will be impossible for ordinary people to buy flour after some days amid the abnormal rise in rice prices and the disappearance of soybean oil,” Rizvi said.
He slammed the government for what he said its failure to stop the price hikes in daily essentials due to the foul play of business syndicates.
Also read: Publish the list of Money launderers, BNP asks govt
“Bangladesh is in a deep crisis of all kinds of food products. The paddy fields in a large area of Bangladesh have gone under water caused by onrush of water from the upstream and the damage of different dams, leaving farmers in a miserable situation,” the BNP leader observed.
BNP leader Moyeen Khan hospitalised
BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan was admitted to city’s Evercare Hospital on Sunday as he fell sick at an event in Narayanganj.
Also read: Publish the list of Money launderers, BNP asks govtHe was admitted to the hospital around 5pm, confirmed BNP chairperson's media wing member Shairul Kabir KhanHe said Moyeen Khan was attending a workshop in Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj district and suddenly fell sick in the afternoon after delivering a long speech there.
Also read: BNP won’t fall for govt’s false assurance in joining polls: Zainul AbedinHis physical condition can be informed later, he added.