A senior ruling party MP yesterday in parliament lambasted the government for rampant corruption and money laundering in the country.

Senior Awami League MP Md Ali Ashraf from Comilla-7 was also joined by senior AL MP Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir from Chandpur-1 and BNP MP Harunur Rashid from Chapainawabganj-3, who criticised the government for imposing taxes on the income of private universities and medical colleges in the budget, which was proposed before parliament on Thursday.

Harun and another BNP MP Rumeen Farhana, who was elected in reserved seats for women in parliament, came down heavily on the government for its poor handling and mismanagement in tackling Covid-19 in the country.

Rumeen said the government was bureaucrat-dependent and was behaving recklessly. She also demanded that the government that the case against The Daily Prothom-Alo journalist Rozina Islam be withdrawn immediately in the interest of freedom of thought, speech and expression and of free media.

Participating in the discussion on the supplementary budget, MP Ali Ashraf said, "We took part in the country's Liberation War [in 1971] without thinking for our own lives, we did not struggle with the hope of getting something in return. We did it in response to the call of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in order to free the people… Now in that same country, we have to bow our heads in shame and hate due to thieves.

"Although the prime minister and her government have unequivocally mentioned zero tolerance against corruption and those involved in money laundering, I think adequate and proper steps should be taken in this regard."

The AL MP also suggested the government overhaul the tax administration and increase its efficiency, transparency, honesty and sincerity.

Speaking against the proposed taxation on the income of private universities and private medical colleges, Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir said such measures taken in the budget were not education friendly.

"The spread of education through private entrepreneurship will be hindered due to the imposition of this tax."

He proposed that the government forms a bank commission and a tax commission to bring reform in the two sectors.

BNP MP Harun said Bangladesh has become a victim of international politics regarding the coronavirus vaccine.

He said China and Russia had offered to conduct trials of their Covid-19 vaccines in Bangladesh.

"Why it was not done?"

He added that this was why receiving vaccines from China's Sinopharm has become uncertain.

Harun also said the Indian variant began spreading because the government failed to provide enough security measures at the bordering districts, adding at least 100-bed hospital should be arranged in areas where the infection rates have increased.

"Otherwise people will die on the streets."

He also demanded reforms in the health department.

On the other hand, Rumeen said journalist Rozina was subjected to extreme harassment at the hands of bureaucrats for highlighting irregularities and corruption in the health sector.

She said Rozina reported on the irregularities and corruption in the health sector and that's why she fell victim to extreme harassment by the government.

Rumeen, also an opposition whip, questioned what steps were actually taken against those who detained and humiliated Rozina for six hours?

"The government would boast about the number of media outlets in the country. If there are various restrictions on them for publishing a truthful report, then none of them can function independently, no matter what the number is. And that is why Bangladesh ranks 152nd out of 180 countries in the world free media index. Myanmar, Afghanistan and even Uganda are above Bangladesh."