People won’t fall into AL trap again: Fakhrul

Terming the formation of the Election Commission through the search committee a trap of Awami League to cling to power, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said people will not fall into it again.

They (govt) have destroyed democracy and the electoral system. They're now questioning why we didn't give names to the search committee.  It's not only a farce but also an extreme deception with people.  We saw in the past they formed the Election Commission with their own people in the same way to hang onto power," he said.

Speaking at a programmme of the party's national committee on celebrating the Golden  Jubilee of Independence at BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office, Fakhrul also said the government is planning to hold a stage-managed election like in 2014 and 2018 by constituting a subservient Election Commission through the search committee formed by the president on 5 February.

He said their party will forge a national unity to defeat the ruling party and establish the rule of people in the country by forcing the current government to hold a credible national election under a non-party neutral administration.

The BNP leader alleged that the government is ruining the country's economy by allowing the ruling party leaders to indulge in corruption and plundering. "But the government is always talking about development all the time. It seems that they have covered entire Bangladesh with gold."

He bemoaned that Bangladesh has dropped 17 notches in the Index of Economic Freedom 2022.

"According to a survey of the World Heritage Foundation, Bangladesh ranked 137 among the 177 countries. Bangladesh's position was 120th last year," Fakhrul said.

He alleged that the government has snatched people's basic and economic rights after taking away their political freedom in a planned way. "The economy of looting has been introduced here...Corruption is inherent in them (AL leaders) and they don't consider it a crime. They think it is their right."

Depicting the picture of massive corruption in various sectors, including health, road, and bridge construction, the BNP secretary general said many ruling party leaders have become millionaires by indulging in corruption and plundering in the name of development projects. 

Fakhrul also voiced concern that inflation has risen to 200% now in the country.  "The way the prices of rice, pulses, oil, and salt are growing it can't continue in an independent country."

He also compared Bangladesh's present condition with Venezuela and Nigeria as these two countries have become failed states because of abuse of power and corruption."