DHAKA, April 13, 2020 (BSS) – Criticizing BNP for not standing by the people during the country’s crisis triggered by COVID-19, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said BNP should spend money for the countrymen instead of appointing foreign lobbyists to stop trials of war criminals, Begum Khaleda Zia and Tareque Rahman.
“BNP has spent thousands of dollars by appointing lobbyists abroad for stopping the trials of war criminals, Begum Khaleda Zia and Tareque Rahman. But I request them to expend the money for the country’s people instead of appointing lobbyists,” he said at a press briefing at his official residence in the city Minto road area this noon.
Hasan said when the government has stood by the people with various incentives, a vested quarter (BNP) is out to find faults of the government as per their perpetual habit instead of standing by the people during this great catastrophe, which has already claimed over one lakh lives and infected over 17 lakh people across the globe.
“Although, we always urge them to work together, they could not come out of their perpetual habit of finding faults and wrong of the government,” he added.
Referring to recent statements of BNP leaders, including Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, the AL joint general secretary said, “Where did the BNP stand by people? But they are confined to delivering speeches and photo sessions only criticizing the government instead of helping the people”.
About misappropriation of relief goods, the information minister said the government, itself, recovered the plundered relief goods with police personnel, no private agency recovered those.
“There are more than 72,000 local government representatives across the country. Against the large number, only 45 cases have been lodged over relief misappropriation, which would be in percentage one in about per 2,000,” he said, adding but no such incident is expected at all.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, however, on Sunday warned of taking action through mobile courts, subsequently through the regular court, Hasan said, adding that the government has taken “zero tolerance policy” to this end.
According the LGRD ministry, he said, only six incidents were proved over relief misappropriation and the LGRD ministry already has suspended one union parishad chairman and two members in this connection.
“The criticisms over some incidents, particularly BNP’s remarks… I will request BNP men, who are known as the world thief for making the country champion in corruption for five times from 2001 to 2006, to see their faces on mirror … they have no right to talk over this (misappropriation) incident,” the minister said.
When the people entered home responding to Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina’s call on March 25 and the government postponed all programmes of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary on March 17 to slow down the spread of COVID-19, Hasan said BNP waged mass gathering on March 25 centering Khaleda Zia’s release from jail from where a journalist was infected with the virus.
So, those showing such irresponsible behavior have no moral right to talk over the incident (misappropriation), he said, urging all, including BNP and its “leaders isolated from people”, to stand by the people together.