Jatiya Party MP Kazi Firoz Rashid on Sunday strongly criticised the government saying all the banks have gone bankrupt and empty due to looting.
“According to Bangladesh Bank, one and a half lakh crores taka was loan defaulted. In reality, the amount is double. The actual amount of defaulted loan is three lakh crore taka. Banks have become bankrupt today due to money laundering,” he said.
He made the statement in Parliament while participating in the discussion on the proposed budget for 2023-24 fiscal year.
Read: ‘Up to 17.95 percent of Bangladesh’s coastal region will be submerged’
The main opposition party lawmaker also claimed that no one can launder money abroad without involvement of Bangladesh Bank.
While talking on this issue, Kazi Firoz Rashid highlighted the reports published in different media outlets about money laundering and bank looting.
“Due to pressure of COVID, pressure of the Russia-Ukraine war, pressure of IMF conditions, pressure of looting in the banking sector--in the face of such multifaceted pressure--the execution of budget will not be safe at all,” he said.
Read: Pay salary, Eid bonus to garment workers before Eid: Home Minister
The JP MP said that in the budget it has been said to take a loan of Tk 1.5 lakh crore from the banking sector, but if the National Board of Revenue (NBR) had been automated, more than 1.5 lakh crore taka would have been collected as VAT-tax.
He said in that case bank borrowing would not be required.
“We have become smart in theft, extortion and money laundering…we are taking bribes in dollars,” he said.
He said politics today has gone into the hands of flatterers. They, who are engaged in flattering, looting money and smuggling abroad, are thriving in politics, he said.
Participating in the discussion, Awami League MP Sheikh Fazlul Karim Salim said that a political party’s leaders are dancing following meetings with some ambassadors.
Read: Investigate cases carefully: Police HQ
“Elections in the country will be held in line with the constitution. There will be no caretaker government in the country,” he said.
The senior AL MP thanked India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, saying Jaishankar said that Bangladesh elections will not be affected by anyone's interference.