AL leaders' wives have properties in Canada

Leaders of the ruling Awami League have bought pieces of land and apartments in their wives' names in Canada with siphoned-off money from the country, the BNP said yesterday. 

One particular area where they have purchased these properties is now known as “Begumpara”, said BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed at a party meeting at Khulna Press Club.

“Awami League leaders are making money in the name of development, through corruption and looting of banks. They are buying land and flats in different countries, including Canada.” 

The BNP is now preparing for a movement to force the government to create an environment conducive to election and to hold the next general election under an impartial administration, Rizvi said.

He, however, didn't specify the time frame and nature of the movement. 

The BNP leader criticised the government's move to enact a law to punish people for distorting the history of the Liberation War and the mass killings during the period, saying those who want to write objective and impartial history of any incident will not do so in fear of being punished.

“The aim of the law is to throw those into jail who want to write true history.”

The parliament on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution aimed at enacting a law to punish those who distort the history of the war and the mass killings that happened at the time.

Law Minister Anisul Huq told the House that the government had drafted a law titled "Bangladesher Muktijudder Itihas Bikritikoron Oporadh Ain" to prevent distortion of the history of 1971.

The draft bill will be placed before the cabinet soon and will be passed in the ongoing parliamentary session, he added.

Meanwhile regarding the Rampal power plant, the BNP leader said the government was not shifting location of the plant despite huge criticism as it wanted to please India.

“We want power plant, but we will not be able to protect the Sundarbans -- the source of oxygen -- if the coal-based power plant is set up in Rampal [near the mangrove forest],” Rizvi said.