“The year 2019 has brought bad luck for the government. This ‘bad luck’ has been created as the government is running the country without people’s mandate by coming to power through a civilian coup on December 29 (last year),” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader further said, “The true scenario of the government’s torture, oppression, corruption misrule and mismanagement for over 10 years have completely manifested in 2019."
Prodhan Smriti Parishad arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club in memory of Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (Jagpa) late president Prof Rehana Prodhan’s first death anniversary.
Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, said the government first launched anti-drug drive and killed many people in crossfires this year, but could not arrest a single godfather of drug as all of them belong to Awami League.”
He also said the casino episode got unveiled through Chhatra League president and general secretary’s ‘reported extortion’ incident at Jahangirnagar University.
He said Chhatra League and Jubo League leaders have been indulging in repression, extortion, and tender manipulation for the last 10 years as the government did not take any action against them.
The BNP leader said Jubo League leaders Khaleda, Shamim and Smarat are now in the spotlight as they have been arrested. “But the ministers and people in the administration who got share from the casino money are now pretending in a way that they knew nothing about it.”
He urged the Anti-Corruption Commission to seek the wealth statements from the all the ruling party MPs and ministers with courage. “Then it’ll get exposed how much money they amassed during the rule of the current government.”
Moudud said Bangladesh is the number one country in the world where people can become rich quickly. “People can make money quickly here illegally and without paying tax.”
Moudud said the country lacks the rule of law as people are not getting justice.
Referring to ruling party leaders’ comments that the verdict in Feni madrasah student Nusrt Jahan Rafi murder case has reflected the existence of justice in the country, he said they are trying to deceive people with such assertions giving the example of one or two isolated cases. “The word justice has got disappeared from the country’s judicial system.”
The BNP leader said their chairperson Khaleda was convicted and sent to jail in ‘false and fabricated’ cases. “But why has not she been granted bail?”
As per the law, Moudud said the female and sick prisoners can be given bail by the court on priority basis even though they are given life term jail, but Khaleda is not granted bail for the last 18 months due to the government’s political influence.
He also said Khaleda will be freed through a movement, not on parole.