Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said on Sunday that the embargo imposed on journalists' access to Bangladesh Bank (BB) was just to hide corruption and looting by the people involved with the ruling clique.
Senior joint secretary general of BNP Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the comment at a rally in front of the party's Nayapaltan central office in the capital.
BNP organised the rally demanding immediate release of all its detained leaders and activists, including party Chairperson Khaleda Zia, and Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Abdul Qadir Bhuiyan Jewel and others.
"Why are journalists not allowed to enter Bangladesh Bank? How much money was looted from the bank. These looters are either ministers or members of parliament or their close aides. The embargo was imposed so that the journalists could not have access to the bank (central bank) for getting information about looting," he said.
"Those who commit crimes always try to hide their acts of sins. The restriction on journalists' access to the Bangladesh Bank was imposed just to hide their corruption and stories of looting," he continued.
"The persons who are in favour of nationalist force and speak truth are now in jail. But those who are now involved in looting, grabbing canals, rivers and land are now moving freely across the country and this has proved that they all belong to the ruling Awami League," he maintained.
He said, "If the present government remains in power, one day they will also sell people's houses."
"Do we (BNP) need to see this type of corrupt government in power,? he questioned.
He called upon the people to raise their voice from their respective position and stages so that the government could feel a quack in their heart.
He praised the party leaders and activists for joining the rally braving the scorching heatwave now sweeping across the country.
Mr Rizvi called upon the party stalwarts to continue their struggle amid the present adverse situation until toppling the present Awami League government.
"What BNP says, it always says openly and clearly. But they (AL) speak underhand. They maintain relation underhand because they are illegal. Their only principles are just to continue looting, corruption and siphoning off money from the country," he said while elaborating AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader's comments on BNP's relations with Pakistan.
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