Govt lost control over AL leaders, activists: BNP

Claiming that the government has lost control over the ruling party leaders and activists, BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed on Friday alleged that influential Awami League leaders and ministers are helping the corrupt from behind the scene.

"Now, every sector has collapsed as there's no representative government in the country. Now, the government can't control its own people who are indulging in widespread corruption," he told a human-chain programme.

The BNP leader further said, "What happened over the last two weeks have exposed that the government has no more control over its party leaders and activists. Apart from Shamim, Khaled and Samrat, there're hundreds of ruling party leaders who are involved in extortion, casino operation and gambling. Nothing will happen to them due to the influence of the MPs and ministers as they're involved with them from behind the scene."

Agriculturist Association of Bangladesh arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.

Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, said newspapers are now publishing corruption-related stories of the ruling party leaders with good treatment. "After a few days, you'll see these incidents are covered up. This government won't be able to eliminate corruption from its own party people."

He said the current government has no accountability to people as the 11th parliamentary election was not 'lawful 'one.

The BNP leader said not only the ruling party leaders are indulging in corruption, but also the VCs of different public universities are there. "The VCs of 11 public universities are now accused of corruption. The effigies of three of them have been burnt. A VC is a revered person, but they're also now indulging in corruption. Corruption has also spread everywhere in the judiciary."

He urged the government to step down and hold a fair and credible election to establish a representative administration through people's vote. "Only then, the prevailing anarchy, extortion, gambling and casino culture will get removed from the country."

The BNP leader said the restoration of democracy is now necessary to restore the government's control over the state machinery. "Khaleda Zia must be freed first to bring back democracy in the country."

He claimed that Khaleda has been kept in jail for the 17 months in 'false cases' in which she was supposed to get bail. "Courts are unable to work independently due to the government's political influence. That's why Khaleda Zia is still in jail."

Moudud also said it will not be possible to free Khaleda through the legal process. "We've put in our best efforts, but didn't get any good results as the government has kept all the courts under its influence. So, the street movement is the only option to free her."

He called upon the people of all walks of life and the democratic politic forces to get united to ensure the fall of the current government and 'restore' democracy in the country.