BNP senior leader Barkatullah Bulu on Friday alleged that the government has begun the work on underground metro rail project amid economic crisis only for plundering public money.

"There is a crisis all over the country. Imports are being hampered due to dollar crisis. Amid this crisis, you (Prime Minister) have given a budget of Tk52,000 crore for 20 km subway. You’re implementing this project for plundering,” he said.

Speaking at a human chain programme, the BNP leader also questioned the justification of taking such a mega project when the country’s huge number of people remained unemployed. “What benefit will the state get from the Tk 52,000 crore subway?”

Bulu, a BNP vice-chairman, said the government can invest the money in the agriculture sector or can set up mills factories for generating job opportunities for unemployed people. “We know you won’t do that as it will not create scope for you to loot public money.”

Nagorik Odhikar Andolo (Civil Rights Movement), a pro-BNP platform, arranged the human chain programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club to demand the release of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction of Bangladesh’s first-ever underground metro rail, a month after the country rolled out its first metro rail system.

Bulu alleged that the government siphoned off Tk14,00,000 crore abroad from Bangladesh to different countries, including Canada, Dubai and America.

He also said an MP, who is also the Prime Minister’s special assistant, became the owner of 17 houses in the USA in four years. “It seems as if Aladdin’s magic lamp is in their hands."

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In this way, Bulu said people belonging to the Awami League have got their named written in the list of world's rich abroad by indulging in looting a huge amount of money in the name of quick rental and rental power project.

“The power sector has been looted. There is no country in the world where no one can file a case against the corruption of any project. But the government passed the indemnity bill in parliament so that no one can file any case against the plundering in the name of quick rental power,” he observed.

The BNP leader said there is now no alternative to ousting the Awami League government to save the country from misrule and plundering.

“The next election must be held under a non-party caretaker government by ensuring the fall of current regime through the movement,” he said.