AL heading towards ‘dynastic’ politics: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday alleged that Awami League is going to establish political ‘dynasty’ in Bangladesh as individuals from a family are now getting the party’s key posts and nominations to contest different elections.

“Not only one party is now controlling everything, but also an individual and one family are doing it as a dynastic rule prevails in the country,” he said.

The BNP leader further said, “If you see who are getting their (AL’s) nominations and who are being made chiefs of their organisations, you’ll understand that they’re moving towards dynastic politics.”

Fakhrul was speaking at a ‘civic condolence meeting’ arranged by Zia Parishad at the Jatiya Press Club in memory of its founding chairman Kabir Murad who died recently.

He also alleged that the government is appointing teachers to different public universities, including Dhaka University, not based on merit and competence, but on political consideration.

The BNP leader also said teachers ‘having poor educational background and very poor competence’ are now being made vice-chancellors of public universities only for political reasons. “The same thing is happening regarding the judge appointment and the recruitments through the BCS as all the institutions have been politicised.”

He said Bangladesh’s economy has also become like an empty vessel as the resources are getting depleted.

Fakhrul urged all to come forward in unison to get rid of the current situation of the country. “We’ve been on a serious struggle, not on a trivial one. We all must take part in it with an aim to defeat the current regime.”

He said the people of all walks of life must get united to force the current ‘regime’ to hold a fresh election under a neutral administration and the impartial Election Commission to establish a pro-people and truly representative government.

About their participation in the upcoming city polls, Fakhrul said their party is taking part in the elections to Dhaka north and south city corporations as part of their ongoing movement for restoration of democracy.

Despite having a negative experience in the last general election, he said, they are going to join the city polls also to reach people. “As a liberal democratic party, we must participate in the polls to use the chance to mobilise public support. We’ll defeat this regime together with people in a systematic way. We believe we’ll succeed as the truth will prevail,” the BNP leader added.

He alleged that the government has kept ailing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail for a long time out of its political ‘vengeance’.

The BNP leader alleged that the government has kept secret the verdict of an international arbitration tribunal in Canada regarding the Niko graft case as it acquitted Khaleda and others implicated in the case. “The court has recently delivered its verdict saying no corruption took place in signing the deal. The court also acquitted Khaleda Zia and other accused in the case as it didn’t find their involvement in corruption,” he claimed.

Fakhrul also claimed that all the cases filed against Khaleda and BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman are ‘false and baseless’.

source: UNB