BNP on Wednesday alleged that the government is occupied with the Padma Bridge inauguration festival, leaving lakhs of flood-affected people in the country’s northeast areas in the lurch. “The people of a vast area of Bangladesh are going through a miserable time amid severe floods. Many people and their houses, cattle and valuables were washed away by the floodwaters,” said party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Read: Govt invites BNP to join Padma Bridge inaugural programme Speaking at a discussion, he also said the sufferings of the flood-hit people know no bound for the shortage of food, medicines and relief materials. “It’s unfortunate that the government is engaged with the inauguration festival of the Padma Bridge instead of paying attention to easing people’s sufferings, rescuing the affected people and ensuring adequate relief materials for them,” the BNP leader observed. Zia Smriti Pathagar arranged the discussion-cum book exhibition programme at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office. Fakhrul said the current ‘usurper’ government has been indulging in ‘corruption’ in the name of development and siphoning off money abroad. “On the one hand, the growing prices of commodities, on the other hand, the current floods have made people's lives miserable,” the BNP leader observed. He also alleged that the government has turned Bangladesh into a failed state by destroying all the state institutions through politicisation. The BNP leader called upon people of all walks of life to get united to ‘restore’ democracy and establish a pro-people government by ousting the Awami League regime through a strong movement. Fakhrul urged the BNP leaders and activists to take steps to present the life, work, honesty and ideology of Ziaur Rahman before the new generation through publications and publicity. He also advised the party leaders and activists to acquire knowledge and read books on different issues as it is the only way for advancement. Read: Flood victims cry for relief amid govt’s inaction: BNP The BNP leader alleged that the ruling Awami League has long been carrying out different negative campaigns to belittle former president Ziaur Rahman and his contributions to the country’s Liberation War and the nation in a planned way. “They (AL) are writing different books and carrying out propaganda in many ways against him as Ziaur Rahman was not only a soldier and a president but also the proclaimer of the country’s independence,” he added.