Nazim Uddin Ahmed, an Awami League MP from Mymensingh-3, on Monday came down heavily on bureaucrats saying that people have become hostage to bureaucracy.He also called upon all the MPs to raise their voice against the bureaucrats.Nazim Uddin made the remarks while participating in a discussion on the thanksgiving motion on the President's speech in Parliament."We’ve long been suffering from bureaucratic problems. The way bureaucrats speak, it seems MPs don’t have any value to them. We hardly get any respect when we visit them as members of parliament,” he said.Nazim said many development projects, including construction of a hospital, many schools and college buildings, roads and mosques taken in his constituency have stalled halfway. Read: Cabinet clears draft law over EC formationHe said all the development works are on the way to closure one after another. Contractors allege that they are not getting their bills and without money they cannot carry out project works.“If this is the case, we won't be able to answer to people during polls as only two years are left for the next general election,” he told the House.Referring to the construction of a model mosque in his area, Nazim said the site for it was selected three years ago. Despite receiving a verdict from the Supreme Court, construction of the mosque has not started yet due to bureaucratic complications, he bemoaned.“When I asked about it, the project director says one thing, the deputy commissioner says another, and the Islamic Foundation replies in another way.”Nazim said an MP is hardly treated with the due dignity that he or she deserves. Even a messenger of any government department doesn’t properly evaluate the MPs. “We all have to raise our voice in order to get rid of this bureaucracy. We’re held hostage to bureaucracy. We all need to be vocal in order to get rid of this bureaucracy. I tell the members of parliament, please play a strong role to get rid of this bureaucracy,” he said.Alleging that propaganda and rumours are being spread through YouTube, Nazim Uddin demanded the government shutdown YouTube. Read: AL ‘arbitrarily’ using bureaucracy: Fakhrul“I see on YouTube that Khaleda Zia is dying. Sheikh Hasina is going to be ousted tomorrow. Again I see the army chief being dragged down. This is the propaganda we see on YouTube. Where’re these coming from? Confusion is being spread in this way -- we don’t understand what the Ministry of Information is doing!” Nazim said.He urged the Ministry of Information to shut down YouTube, if necessary. “We shouldn’t compromise with criminals and anti-liberation war elements,” he added.    

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said Awami League is ‘arbitrarily’ using bureaucracy to cling to power as it has become politically bankrupt. “Awami League has lost its capability by arbitrarily using the bureaucracy only for hanging onto power. In fact, the bureaucracy has now become 'Bureaucratic League' while Awami League has become politically bankrupt,” he said. Fakhrul came up with the remarks while speaking at an extended meeting of Thakurgaon district unit of BNP at a community centre in the district town. READ: Fakhrul takes dig at AL, says now ‘bureaucrats running’ country He alleged that the ruling party has long been trying to suppress its political opponents with repressive acts and filing ‘false’ cases against them by ‘using’ law enforcement agencies. “They (govt) have been controlling all the state machinery, including the judiciary, administration, police and other law enforcement agencies to make their political gains,” Fakhrul alleged. He said it is unimaginable to file political cases against 35 lakh opposition leaders and activists in a democratic country, but the current government did it to eliminate its opponents. The BNP leader alleged that the opposition leaders and activists are being implicated in ‘false cases’ for holding meetings and carrying out political activities as the government has established the one-party rule under a different cover. READ: AL 'tainted' independence by distorting history: Fakhrul Fakhrul urged the government to step down and arrange a credible general election by stopping filing cases against opposition leaders and activists and harassing them. “The government must hold the next election under a polls-time neutral administration as per people’s hopes and aspirations,” he said. Fakhrul said the government will have to constitute the Election Commission with neutral persons for holding the national election in a fair and credible manner. He also called upon all political parties to get united to force the government to restore democracy and people’s voting rights through a strong movement.