DHAKA, Sept 2, 2024 (BSS) - BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi today said the ousted Awami League (AL) government laundered billions of money in the name of mega projects.

"The (ousted) Awami League government laundered billions of money in the name of mega projects. It is not our statement. Salman F Rahman himself admitted how Hasina laundered billions of money," he said.

Rizvi made the remarks while inaugurating the second phase of relief distribution programme of Jatiyatabadi Prachar Dal as the chief guest in front of BNP Naya Paltan Office in the city. 

Jatiyatabadi Prachar Dal President Mahfuz Kabir Mukta presided over the event. Under the second phase, the organization will distribute relief materials among over one thousand flood-affected families in Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur district.

Noting that members of the Hasina family live abroad, Rizvi said, "What do they do there? Where do they work? What is the source of their money? No one was informed about this".

They (Hasina's family members) are leading a luxurious life by looting the country's wealth, he said, adding, they are doing business worth Taka thousands of crores.

"Where did they get that money?" the senior BNP leader questioned.
During the Awami League government's tenure, he said, certain businessmen were given special privileges to secure their (AL) own percentage. 

The mass media was forcibly taken under their (AL) control, Rizvi said, adding, to stay in power, they killed thousands of students and civilians. 

Hasina had asked the law enforcement agencies to continue their work of opening and she will give protection to them, Rizvi said, adding, as a result, the law enforcement agencies carried out mass killings without any hesitation.

They (law enforcement agencies' members) brush fired meritorious boys like Abu Sayeed and Mugdha and even opened fire at a six-year-old child, said the BNP joint secretary general.

Pointing figure at India, Rizvi said, "You are a democratic country. Yet, you continue to support tyrant Sheikh Hasina, who killed the children and youths of the country! Hasina laundered billions of money abroad from the country, even after that you still supported her?"

She (Hasina) has destroyed the country's judiciary and all pillars of the state and snatched away people's freedom of expression, he said, adding, Hasina established single-party ruling by appointing AL's own men in important positions, including judges and election commissioners.

"Yet, you provided shelter to such a person? Despite being a democratic nation, did you not feel even a shred of compassion for the people of Bangladesh? Did your sense of humanity not awaken?" Rizvi posed the questions to India.

"We waged movements ignoring her threats, but did not surrender to her. Sheikh Hasina sent us to jail. After being released from jail, we raised our voices once again against this oppression. We did not step back from the movement," he said.

Jatiyatabadi Prachar Dal General Secretary Akbar Hossain moderated the programme while BNP Volunteer Affairs Secretary Sarafat Ali Safu, Jubo Dal Organizing Secretary Kamruzzaman Jewel, DUJ Vice President Rashedul Haque, Prachar Dal Joint General Secretary Wakiduzzaman Dablu, Literature and Publications Secretary Ruhul Amin and central leaders Sohel Rana, Md Saiful Islam, Kamal Uddin Ahmad and Abdul Barek Sheikh were present at the event, among others.