AL looting the nation while in power, alleges Rizvi

The eleventh phase of the 36-hour blockade called by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ended on Wednesday evening amid processions.
The BNP, its affiliates and like-minded political camps took out processions in different parts of Dhaka city, including Badda, Mirpur, Banglamotor and Paltan areas.
They shouted anti-government slogans and demanded the resignation of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, alleging that it was going to stage-manage a farcical election on January 07.
However, miscreants set a passenger bus on fire in Shahbagh area around 2:30 pm, witnesses said.
The fire service and civil defence in a statement said two units of Palashi Barrack Fire Station doused the fire in the presence of law-enforcers.
Meanwhile, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi during a virtual briefing slammed the ruling party, alleging it of plundering the nation while in power and in parliament.
"Whenever the Awami League runs a regime, it pillages wealth and turns the country into a bottomless basket. The Awami League is a factory of thieves," he claimed.
In the last one-and-a-half decade, the AL men, ministers, leaders, activists and anyone affiliated with the party have all been intoxicated with a competition of looting.
Referring to news reports revealing AL candidates' wealth statements, Mr Rizvi said it was eye-popping for the people that they had hoarded obnoxious amounts of wealth in recent years.
"How it is even possible? Many of them raised their wealth by up to 700 times within five years," he added.
The BNP leader also outlined a narrative of the wealth statements citing references to reports covered by different media outlets.
The government formed the Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate corruption and take action against dishonest individuals as per law, but it was now being used to harass BNP men, he alleged.
Since October 28, around 21,500 BNP men have been arrested by police, including 340 in 24 hours till Wednesday afternoon, said Rizvi.
Earlier in the day, he condemned sabotage that led a Dhaka-bound train derailing from track in Gazipur, killing one and leaving at least seven people injured.
Expressing deep condolences and concerned, Mr Rizvi demanded exemplary punishment to the offenders.
The BNP has been executing a wide range of programmes, mostly countrywide blockade, since October to press home its demand for the resignation of the government.

[email protected]