Khaleda accuses AL men of siphoning off money

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia today accused ruling party men of siphoning off money and asked the government to ensure their trial through impartial investigations.
 

Awami League leaders and activists have plundered money from the capital market and Padma bridge project and then deposited those to the Swiss Bank, she blamed.

The blame follows media reports saying the deposits by Bangladeshi citizens at various Swiss banks rose by 62 percent year-on-year in 2013. The deposits that stood at Tk 3,236 crore at the year-end were Tk 1,991 crore in 2012, according to the latest data of Swiss National Bank (SNB) released on Thursday.

"An impartial inquiry team will have to be formed and appropriate measures will have to be taken against the offenders," said Khaleda while addressing a rally at the RB High School ground in Joypurhat in the afternoon.

The BNP chief thanked the people of Joypurhat for attending the rally defying heavy downpour.

“I have gained strength seeing you as you are hearing my speech ignoring the heavy downpour. I shall wage a tough movement after Eid to oust the illegal government,” she warned.

Stating that the AL men have been violating human rights, Khaleda said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina must be held accountable and be forced to stand in the dock for that.

Referring to some recent activities of the Rapid Action Battalion, she said the force has been turned into a “Rakhhi Bahini (a paramilitary force) that killed many people after the independence”.

She reiterated her demand for disbanding the elite force “in the interest of the human rights”.

She said the ruling party has become puzzled seeing results of the recent election in the neighbouring India.

"There is no ground under the feet of the government as people are no longer with the ruling Awami League," said the former prime minister.

“I want to ask for holding the national election immediately under a non-party caretaker system. We will never allow any election without that system,” she added.

During her speech, people chanted slogans requesting her to announce hartal to topple the government.

In response, Khaleda said she will be forced to go for such programme if the government creates obstructions to the way of the party's political movement.

Earlier, Khaleda reached the rally venue around 4:00pm from Bogra circuit house, where she made a short briefing prior to her departure around 2:30pm.