Criticising the recent connectivity deals made with India, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia last night said some heavy vehicles of others will run on the roads without paying and that cannot be friendship.

“Friendship is good, but no one wants to make any friendship sacrificing own interests. It is friendship when it ensures equality, otherwise it becomes slavery,” Khaleda said, without mentioning India.

She made the comments while speaking at a views-exchange meeting with Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum of Mymensingh District Bar at her Gulshan office.

“If you want to go to North-Bengal using the Jamuna bridge, you will have to pay toll. But there are some [countries] who will be able to use our country [highways and bridges] without paying anything.

“ … Are our roads capable of taking the load? We are not barring them from using our roads, but they should pay,” she said.

On the Rampal power plant, the BNP chief said, “We are not against the power plant, as Bangladesh needs electricity. If the coal-based plant is established, the Sundarbans will be destroyed.”

She urged relocating the project site.

Lambasting the government for providing Bangabandhu family members with 19 kinds of facilities, she alleged that the family members get all the facilities and the rest of the people of the country get nothing.

“The country is now under the rule of one family. In fact it is a monarchy, while people have no basic rights.”

She criticised the government for “firing” and “harassing” several BNP-backed mayors in different city corporations.

She claimed that the last polls to city corporations proved that no fair elections could be held by the Awami League government.

Police are more powerful than the government. The police say that they have kept the Awami League in power, she said.