In the name of holding anti-government rallies the BNP is extorting money from businessmen and portions of the extorted money are going to BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman in London, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday.

“Grenade attacks took place during the tenure of the BNP with an aim to eliminate the entire leadership of the Awami League…they are holding rallies during the term of the Awami League without any difficulties. But they (the BNP) have taken a scheme of extorting money in the name of holding rallies,” he told reporters at the Bangladesh Secretariat.

The minister said the BNP extorted money from businessmen during their recent divisional rally in Chattogram by injecting fear among the traders, and half of that money has been sent to Tarique Rahman.

Terming the BNP as a force of ‘petrol bombs’ the minister said it is such a party, which carried out arson attacks on the people and destroyed their property.

He also warned the BNP not to forget their past deeds as they had attacked many rallies of the Awami League in the past.

Responding to allegations by the BNP that police raided the homes of the BNP leaders and activists in Chattogram, the information minister said that the BNP had unleashed violence in the past, so police needed to stay alert ahead of the rally to avoid any untoward incident.

Replying to another question about the introduction of a resolution by US Congressmen declaring the Pakistan Army’s action against Bengalis and Hindus in 1971 as "genocide" and "crimes against humanity", Hasan thanked the US Congressmen as they placed the proposal.

“It must be acknowledged, and through this continued effort we will get March 25 recognised as the Genocide Day by the United Nations,” he hoped.