politics
Corruption in health sector widespread: GM Quader
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Parliament GM Quader on Tuesday said though the irregularities in the health sector is now the key point of discussion in the country, no effective step is in sight to check the graft.
Joining the general discussion on the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 in parliament, he also opposed keeping the scope for whitening black money as he thinks it is tantamount to legalising corruption.”
“Reports are being published in the newspapers every day on the irregularities and corruption in the Health Ministry. But it seems the minister and others concerned are not taking it seriously. A mask worth about Tk 4 is being bought at Tk 350. If there’s any factual truth, then action needs to be taken,” he said.
GM Qauder, also the chairman of Jatiya Party, said it is not possible to implement the budget, no matter how much money is allocated, due to corruption and lack of coordination and good governance. “They don’t get the benefit for whom the money is allocated just for lack of good governance.”
READ: GM Quader fears dire social consequences of drug abuse
He said the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) found evidence of 1,024 cases of money laundering in the last five years and it has sent reports with evidence to various government agencies to take action against those involved in siphoning off money. “But there’s no information that punitive action has been taken against anyone.”
Referring to media reports, GM Quader said Bangladeshis’ deposits in Swiss banks have also been increasing, “According to Global Financial Integrity, about Tk 64,000 crore is siphoned off abroad from Bangladesh every year undercover of trade with false information.”
He said the scope for whitening black money has been kept in the national budget for many years, but it is contrary to the good governance and the Prime Minister’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption.
He said the black money whitening opportunity definitely encourages corruption and it should be stopped.
The Jatiya Party chief said the banking sector is now at a sorry state due to plundering and corruption, but no visible action has been taken against those involved in Bangladesh Bank’s reserve heist, Hallmark Tk 4,000 core loan scam, Bismillah Group's financial irregularities and Basic Bank's scam.
READ: Not possible to tackle Covid with gifted vaccines: GM Quader
He said it was mentioned in the proposed budget that Tk 1,13,453 crore will be borrowed from the central bank. “How realistic is it to be dependent on banks which are now in a bad shape!”
Voicing concern over the uncertainty of Covid vaccine, he said it was mentioned in the budget about bringing most people under the vaccination programme, but no specific allocation was given to implement it.
The Jatiya Party chief said no one knows when the vaccination programme resumes and when it will end as there is an uncertainty about the collection of the vaccine.
He said crores of people lost their livelihoods while around 2.5 crore people became poor due to the Coronavirus fallout. “This number is increasing every day. If the lockdown and the recession in trade are prolonged, a state of famine may arise in the country.”
AL changing democratic structure: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday accused Awami League of committing a “grievous crime” by changing Bangladesh’s democratic structure for establishing the one-party rule.
“Awami League is changing the structure of the entire state by betraying people to establish a one-party system of governance. It’s a grave offence as they’ve started drastically changing the democratic character of the state that we had defined through the 1971 Liberation War,” he said.
Speaking at a virtual discussion programme, the BNP leader said, “It’s unfortunate that the judiciary and the Election Commission have played a big role in changing the character of the state.”
READ: Ensure treatment of Covid patients: BNP
Bangladesh Nationalist Research and Communications (BNRC) arranged the virtual event protesting the government’s move to shift the services related to National Identity (NID) cards from the Election Commission to the Home Ministry.
Fakhrul said a political solution is necessary through united steps for restoring Bangladesh’s democratic structure. "The people of Bangladesh now have no alternative to removing the current horrible fascist regime and establishing a pro-people government.”
He called upon all the democratic political forces to get united to ‘restore’ democracy and people’s rights in the country through a mass upsurge.
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the government is trying to shift the NID service to the Home Ministry as part of it's ‘evil motive’ to usurper power again in the next general election depriving people of their voting rights.
“It’s surely a violation of the constitution and an onslaught on the main structure of the constitution,” he observed.
The BNP leader fears that the government will apply a new technique for manipulating the voting system in the next polls using the NID service after taking it under the Home Ministry.
Under the circumstances, he said, political parties in Bangladesh have no choice but to wage a strong movement to unset the current ‘autocratic’ government.
READ: BNP’s efforts on to send Khaleda abroad: Fakhrul
BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, standing committee members Jamiruddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, among others, spoke at the programme.
Ensure treatment of Covid patients: BNP
BNP’s different district units, mainly in bordering areas, on Sunday submitted a memorandum to civil surgeons with a set of demands, including ensuring proper treatment of Covid patients.
BNP organising secretary Syed Emran Saleh Prince said their party’s Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Natore, Bogura, Joypurhat, Sirajganj, Khulna, Satkhira, Jhenaidah and Narail district units and Rajshahi and Khulna city units submitted the memorandum.
In the wake of worsening Covid situation and treatment crisis at different district public hospitals, he said their party took the move as per a directive of its acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
In the memorandum, BNP voiced deep concern over the growing high infection rate of the deadly virus and urged the government to take prompt steps to contain it.
Also read: It’s not a lockdown, but a ‘joke’: Fakhrul
It also urged the government to increase the number of daily Covid tests, set up separate Covid hospitals, increase beds at the hospitals, ensure adequate oxygen cylinders, high-flow nasal cannulas, ICU beds, other treatment equipment’s, doctors and nurses for proper treatment of virus-infected patients.
The party also called upon the government to provide sufficient allocations to the districts where the coronavirus infection is very high.
It also urged the government to take steps so that the non-Covid patients can receive normal treatment alongside the Covid-infected ones.
BNP also demanded the government to collect necessary vaccines to get rid of the dangerous pandemic.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh reports record 119 daily deaths
The country on Sunday reported 119 deaths from Covid, the biggest ever daily Covid fatalities since the virus hit the country.
Besides, 5,268 more people were identified with Covid infection across the country in 24 hours until Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, the government is set to enforce a “strict lockdown” on a limited scale from Monday to slow down the transmission of the highly infectious Delta variant of the Covid-19.
It’s not a lockdown, but a ‘joke’: Fakhrul
BNP on Sunday described the nationwide lockdown announced by the government to contain Coronavirus spread as a 'joke' since it repeatedly failed to fully enforce such restrictions in recent times.
“The government has again announced a lockdown for seven days, which has now turned into a joke. It’s now saying the lockdown will be enforced from Thursday instead of Monday. It’s a joke,” said party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
He said, “The lockdown has become completely ineffective due to the incompetence and irresponsibility of the government. Lockdown can never be fruitful without ensuring food for the poor and day-labourers and transferring cash to the workers in the informal sector.”
Also read: No lockdown for health sector: Minister
The BNP leader came up with the remarks while speaking at a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office on the outcomes of the party standing committee’s virtual meeting held on Saturday.
Asked why he considers the lockdown as a joke, Fakhrul said the government first announced a general holiday and then enforced a lockdown last year. “It’s seen many workers went back home with the announcement of the holiday and they came back again. They (govt) now announced a lockdown when there’s a lockdown in place. Isn’t it a joke?”
He said the government has shut inter-district transport services from the capital without any proper plan. “That’s why many people are leaving Dhaka and many others are returning here from different districts on foot taking the seven-day lockdown as holidays.”
Also read: Nationwide lockdown from Monday, 'all out lockdown’ from July 1
Stating that the people of Bangladesh are very witty, Fakhrul said they are joking about the strict lockdown shutdown and other adjectives to manifest the severity of the restriction. “People are saying next time it will be mentioned that ‘Allhar Kasam Lockdown’ (lockdown swearing by Allah). This is a rude joke and this is what people are saying.”
He said their party thinks it will not be possible to deal with the spread of the terrible virus without the active participation of people. “People will go out of their homes in search of work out of hunger. In fact, the government has no well-planned programme on the Covid-19.”
The BNP leader said the Covid situation has gone out of control due to extreme mismanagement, corruption and incompetence in health management and failure to collect vaccines and motivate people to maintain physical distance and health safety rules.
He said their standing committee meeting voiced deep concerns over the alarming outbreak of Delta variant of Covid-19 in the capital and bordering districts.
Also read: RMG factories to remain open amid 'all-out' lockdown: BGMEA president
The BNP leader said government hospitals and healthcare institutions have been facing a crisis of emergency medical supplies and a severe shortage of life-saving medicines as the pressure of patients has mounted.
“More alarming is that most emergency medical supplies in the Central Medical Store Depot are almost exhausted. There’re also shortages of Remdesivir injections and corona testing kits while ventilators, high-flow nasal cannulas, ICU beds, oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylinders are extremely inadequate,” he said.
Fakhrul said district hospitals are in a sorry state as many patients are dying there for lack of adequate oxygen supply and oxygen concentrators. “But the government has completely failed to take any concerted step to this end.”
He said their standing committee meeting demanded the government take immediate and effective steps for ensuring proper treatment of the Covid-infected people.
Taking a swipe at Awami League General Secretary Obadiah Quader for his comments about the bleak future of BNP, Fakhrul questioned as to why the ruling party leaders are so concerned about BNP. “I would like to say the future of Awami League is very dark because of their misdeeds…the ruling party leaders won’t find an escape route if people wake up.”
Bring Zaima back home to revive BNP: Dr Zafrullah
Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury suggested BNP to take back home Khaleda Zia’s granddaughter, Zaima Rahman, from London to rejuvenate the party rank and file.
Speaking at a discussion meeting, he also asked Zaima’s father and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman to engage in studies in the UK instead of sending messages from there to run BNP.
However, a group of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leaders and activists sharply protested Zafrullah’s comments on Tarique and left the meeting venue.
Education Reform Initiative (ERI), a pro-BNP platform, arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club where former state minister for education ANM Ehsanul Haq Milon presented the keynote paper.
Speaking at the programme, Dr Zafrullah, known as a BNP sympathiser, said, "I think Zaima has to come back to Bangladesh (from London) if BNP wants to stage a comeback... otherwise, nothing can be achieved here with orders from outside the country.”
Also read: Govt trying to suppress new generation: Dr Zafrullah
He also said it will not be possible to bring a change in power without the concerted efforts of all. “We all have to join a movement standing in the same line. The desired change will come if the current undemocratic and unelected government can be removed.”
Zafrullah, however, said BNP’s activities suggest the party has no desire to return to power. "BNP is now being run by messages coming from London one by one. All have to work together to ensure the fall of the autocratic regime. The biggest change is needed in the BNP's own house to do it.”
He also said BNP leaders and activists cannot realise that the government has been pushing Khaleda Zia towards death. “If they (BNP) want her release, I’ve repeatedly said, Tarique should remain silent for two years. “You can get involved in studies in the UK. There’re many ways to study there.”
At this time, JCD central leader Omar Farroque Kausar interrupted Zafrullah and protested his remarks on Tarique.
"Sir, who’re you of BNP? You always make derogatory remarks about the BNP,” Kausar said, pointing at Zafrullah.
Also read: Dr Zafrullah slams BNP for failure to wage any movement
In reply, the Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder said, "I’m nobody of BNP. But I’ve the democratic right to speak up. Try to realize what I’m saying for your (BNP’s) welfare. You don't understand what is good for you.”
Kausar countered Zafrullah saying, "We do understand what’s good for us. But you understand otherwise. You please don't talk about our leader (Tarique), and never do this. If you say anything about him further, we won’t be responsible if anything bad happens. Though you used to say many things against our leader, you can’t say anything about Joy (PM’s son Sajeeb Wazed).”
Later, the JCD leaders and activists left the programme venue.
Zafrullah said no one will be able to silence an elderly person like him by showing fear.
“Personality cult should be stopped. The ruling party engages in venerating a person. You’ve also seen the veneration of an individual here a few moments ago. One's over-adulation leads the nation to destruction,” he observed.
Send Khaleda abroad for treatment: Pro-BNP journos
A group of pro-BNP journalists on Saturday demanded the government take necessary steps to ensure advanced treatment for former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia abroad.
The demand was made in a statement signed by 1,557 journalists from across the country. Dhaka Union of Journalist (DUJ) president Kader Gani Chowdhury issued the statement.
“Begum Khaleda Zia's physical condition is currently at high risk. Under such a situation, there shouldn’t be any politics over her treatment,” the statement said.
As a top politician in the country, a former prime minister, a senior citizen, a woman and as a prisoner, they think Khaleda has the minimum human rights to receive proper and advanced treatment.
“It’s our responsibility as a nation to ensure her fundamental rights and justice. So, we sincerely call upon the government to allow Khaleda Zia to receive advanced treatment abroad through freeing her on bail by the court,” the statement added.
Also read: BNP seeks govt’s prompt steps to send Khaleda abroad
The journalists hoped that the government will show sympathy towards Khaleda rising above politics considering her overall contributions to the country as a patriotic politician and the difficult period of her old age.
They said people will take it positively if the government takes steps for removing the barriers towards sending Khaleda abroad for treatment.
The signatories to the statement include senior journalists Reaz Uddin Ahmed, Alamgir Mohiuddin, Aman Ullah, Abul Asad, Shawkat Mahmud, Rezwan Siddiqui, Mostafa Kamal Majumder, Salahuddin Mohammad Babar, Syed Mejbah Uddin Ahmed, Abdul Hai Sikder, Ershad Majumder, Kamal Uddin Sabuj, Syed Abdal Ahmed, Masumur Rahman Khalili, Aminur Rahman Sarkar, M Abdullah, Nurul Amin Rokon, MA Aziz, Quader Gani Chowdhury, Ilias Khan, Shakhawat Hossain Badshah, Rafiqul Islam Azad, Kazi Rawnak Hossain, Bakhtiar Rana, Nuruddin Ahmed, Mahmuda Chowdhury, Nirmal Chakraborty and Khurshid Alam.
On June 19, Khaleda Zia got back home from the capital’s Evercare Hospital after 53 days of treatment for Covid infections and other physical complications.
Also read: Govt turns down family’s application to send Khaleda abroad
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir at a recent press conference said Khaleda has a heart problem and her kidney and liver complications are very critical and she needs treatment at an advanced centre abroad.
Her family submitted an application to the government on May 6 seeking permission to send her abroad for advanced treatment, but it was turned down.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda Zia from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentences on March 25 last year.
Lockdown can’t be fruitful keeping people hungry: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday warned that the nationwide lockdown, set to be enforced on Monday, will not be successful without ensuring food security for the crores of hardcore poor people of the country.
“Hungry people can never be forced to stay indoors. Hunger and lockdown can’t go together,” he said in a statement.
Quader, also the deputy leader of the opposition in parliament, said there is no alternative to lockdown if the Covid pandemic spreads alarmingly.
READ: GM Quader fears dire social consequences of drug abuse
“But there’re crores of hardworking people in the country who don’t have food in their stocks at homes as they manage their food based on their daily income,” he observed.
The Jatiya Party chief also said the poor and the day-labourers have to buy medicines along with food and in some cases baby food. “They also have to pay house rent.”
He said the families of crores of day labourers will suffer badly if they can’t work due to the lockdown. "It'll create a humanitarian catastrophe across the country."
He also fears that the law-and-order situation in the country may collapse if people suffer from the scarcity of food and other necessary things.
GM Quader said the government must ensure food security for the extremely poor and working people on humanitarian ground during the lockdown.
Besides, the authorities concerned will have to take tough measures so that the government’s aid for the poor and destitute is not stolen.
On Friday night, the government announced to enforce a fresh nationwide "strict lockdown" from Monday, as the country grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases and fatalities with the highly infectious Delta variant playing havoc.
The restrictions will remain in place for seven days when the government and private offices, barring those of emergency services, will remain shut.
READ: Not possible to tackle Covid with gifted vaccines: GM Quader
The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 pandemic on Thursday recommended imposing a "nationwide shutdown" for two weeks to contain the worsening Covid-19 situation in the country.
Govt snatching people’s rights like “Pakistanis”: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday night accused the present government of snatching the rights of people like “Pakistani occupation forces”.
"Those who are now there in power are constantly oppressing people in a bid to establish a one-party governing system by dashing the nation's hopes and aspirations and destroying the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War,” he said.
Speaking at a virtual discussion, the BNP leader also said their party has always been a pro-independence force as it was established by the freedom fighters who fought in the battlefield. “BNP is now spearheading a struggle to restore democracy for which people fought and liberated the country in 1971. We believe people’s struggle will be successful through united efforts.”
The programme was organised by BNP’s national committee on celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the country’s independence, marking the day of bringing back the body of Bir Sreshtho” Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman to the country from Pakistan.
Fakhrul alleged that the government is presenting the distorted history of the Liberation War to mislead the new generation and hide facts. “So, the main objective of our party is to highlight the facts and real history by arranging different programmes on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee.”
Also read: Govt gradually becoming a ‘monster’: BNP
He said their party has no intention to belittle anyone as it wants to honour the freedom fighters and the organisers of the Liberation War what they deserve.
The BNP leader bemoaned that those who led the Liberation War and fought in the battlefield putting their lives at risk are now ignored by the current government.
He said the activities of Awami League exhibit that no one took part in the Liberation War except “one who had been imprisoned in a prison of Pakistan”.
Fakhrul said Awami League does not recall the contributions of MAG Osmani, Tajuddin Ahmed and lakhs of freedom fighters to the Liberation War.
Also read: Corruption amid pandemic making life miserable: BNP
“They’ve started a campaign with all sorts of distorted stories of history to brand martyred President Ziaur Rahman, who declared independence, as a villain."
He urged the BNP leaders and activists to tackle the ruling party’s ‘false’ campaign against Zia by presenting real history before the new generation
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said Matiur Rahman was buried in Pakistan after he had died in a plane crash following his attempt to defect from the Pakistan Air Force to join the Liberation War.
He said their party chairperson Khaleda Zia, during her rule, brought back the mortal remains of Matiur Rahman to Dhaka from Pakistan on June 24, 2006 and buried that at the Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard in Mirpur. “As Khaleda Zia had been able to do it successfully, the people of the country can now pay their respects to the most valiant hero, Matiur Rahman, by visiting the graveyard.”
BNP protests water tariff hike, submits memo to Wasa
BNP on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the office of the managing director (MD) of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa), protesting the increase in water tariff.
BNP Dhaka south city unit president Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel and Dhaka north city unit senior vice-president Munshi Bazlul Basit Anju handed over the memorandum to the authorities concerned at Wasa Bhaban in the capital.
Addressing the Wasa MD, the party mentioned in the memorandum that the decision to raise water tariff by Dhaka Wasa during the Covid pandemic that caused public sufferings in many ways is inhumane, undesirable, illogical, anti-people and it goes against the fundamental rights. “It seems to add salt to injuries.”
Read: BNP seeks govt's prompt steps to send Khaleda abroad
It also said the cost of living will increase along with the increase in public sufferings if the water tariff is raised during this difficult time of the Covid epidemic.
“On behalf of the residents of Dhaka, BNP’s Dhaka south and north units strongly condemn and protest the hike in water tariffs and demand the immediate cancellation of this anti-people decision,” the memorandum reads.
Read: BNP resorting to politics of violence, says Quader
The party also demanded the Wasa ensure uninterrupted supply of safe and pure drinking water to all city dwellers by stopping corruption, plundering, irregularities and waywardness.
In the memorandum, BNP said water tariff has been tripled in the last 13 years with 14th-time hikes, but it could not ease the suffering s of the city dwellers.
In its 279th board meeting in March last, Wasa decided to increase the prices of water by 5% for residential and commercial uses which will be effective from July 1.
As per the new decision, the prices of each unit (1,000 litres) of water will be Tk 15.18 for residential use and Tk 42 for commercial use. Dhaka Wasa also hiked water prices by about 25% last year.
Awami League pays homage to Bangabandhu on its founding anniversary
The Awami League, the oldest and largest political party in Bangladesh, celebrated its 72nd foundation day on Wednesday with low-key events because of surging corona pandemic in the country.
The anniversary programmes began in the morning with the hoisting of the national and party flags at Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhaka’s 32 Dhanmondi and the Awami League central office at Bangabandhu Avenue.
The ruling party and its affiliate organisations paid homage to the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, by placing wreaths at his portrait at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.
The party also hoisted the national and party flags at its offices across the country.
A delegation from the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) placed wreaths at 10 am at the mausoleum of Bangabandhu in his birthplace of Tungipara in Gopalganj, while presidium member Lt Col Muhammad Faruq Khan (Retired), Jahangir Kabir Nanak, organisational secretary SM Kamal Hossain, Mirza Azam, Shahabuddin Farazi, and Syed Abdul Awal Shamim attended the programme on behalf of party.
Also read: AL founding anniversary: PM pays homage to Bangabandhu
Alongside, a discussion programme marking the foundation day was held at 4 pm at the party's central office on Bangbhabandhu Avenue where its President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina virtually attended the programme.
Awami League was founded on this day in 1949, which later transformed into the largest political party of the country to lead struggles for freedom, the War of Liberation and all democratic movements under the leadership of Bangabandhu.
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes to Bangandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32 in the morning.
After laying the wreath, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Awami League, stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the Father of the Nation.
Party leaders paid tributes to Bangabandhu by placing a floral wreath at Bangabandhu’s portrait at Dhanmondi Road no-32 in the morning.
The party began its journey on June 23 in 1949, when a young, secular and progressive section of the Muslim League formed the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League, at a meeting in the historic Rose Garden on KM Das Lane in Dhaka’s Tikatuli.
Maulana Abdul Hamid Bhashani was elected as the founding president, and Shamsul Hoque was named the general secretary.
In July 1953, during the Second National Council meeting of the party, Bhashani was re-elected president, and Sheikh Mujib was named the new general secretary.