Khaleda's vision 2030 to reveal outline

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will present the party's vision 2030 on May 10, giving the outline of an election-time "supportive government" and detailing its development agenda for the country, senior leaders said yesterday.

BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the party chief would elaborate its plan on how the country would be developed by 2030 if BNP was voted to power.

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Addressing a meeting of BNP and its associate bodies of Chittagong city, he also criticised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over the outcome of her recent India visit.

Khasru said Bangladesh was far ahead of India on the development index, but the 22 deals signed between the two countries during the visit proved that the country had not attained capability even 46 years after independence.

“We are to take money from India even to build 30 clinics -- why should we need assistance from them? We are far ahead on all indexes… we can give them assistance instead,” he said.

“The prime minister said she did not go to India to bring anything… she went there for friendship... I say you didn't even get friendship… you got hospitality. If you got friendship, you could bring something for the country.”

Khasru also said the government did not allow them to hold protests against the Rampal power plant near the Sundarbans.

Another standing committee member, Dr Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, said none of the 22 agreements with India would serve the interest of Bangladesh.

Referring to the defence deal, he said the country's military would have to collect arms and receive training from India. “If so happens, would our military remain unique?”

The people do not accept agreements that they are not aware of, he said. “The agreements would be cancelled in the future.”

Speaking about Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader's recent remarks that the ruling party leaders would have to run from one place to another with the money they were earning now if the party went out of power, Mosharraf said Quader "knows they are committing misdeeds and injustice”.

“Why did the Awami League general secretary apprehend it? That means they have definitely committed misdeeds."

Referring to the chief justice's recent speech, he said, “The present government has politicised all institutions including the judiciary, administration, and police department.”

Terming the present CEC as “loyal to the ruling party”, he alleged, “A former bureaucrat, who joined a party programme... in front of the Press Club, was made the chief election commissioner.”

“So we are doubtful of the present Election Commission,” he said. “But if there is a supportive government during the election-time, the EC would be bound to hold a free and fair election.”

BNP Chittagong city unit president Shahadat Hossain presided over the meeting held at Nasiman Bhaban in the port city.